title: Multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis of Leptospira interrogans and Leptospira borgpetersenii isolated from small feral and wild mammals in East Asia.
abstract: Leptospira spp. are the causative agents of a worldwide zoonosis, leptospirosis, maintained by various mammals. Each Leptospira serovar is frequently associated with a particular maintenance host, and recently, Leptospira genotype-host association has also been suggested to limit serovars to restricted areas. We investigated the molecular characteristics of L. interrogans and L. borgpetersenii which were isolated from small feral and wild animals in four East Asian states using multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA). MLVA using 11 loci was performed on 110 L. interrogans serogroups from Japan (79 strains of 5 serogroups from 3 animal species), Philippines (21; 3; 2), Taiwan (7; 2; 3), and Vietnam (3; 1; 1). A MLVA method using 4 loci for L. borgpetersenii was established and performed on 52 isolates from Japan (26; 3; 7), Philippines (13; 1; 2), and Taiwan (13; 1; 3). In L. interrogans, serogroups Autumnalis and Hebdomadis appeared more genetically diverse than serogroups Bataviae, Grippotyphosa, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Pomona, or Pyrogenes. The former serogroup strains with the exception of one Hebdomadis strain were isolated from Apodemus speciosus while all the latter serogroup strains with the exception of Grippotyphosa were isolated from Rattus norvegicus. L. borgpetersenii was isolated from at least 11 animal species while L. interrogans was isolated from five species, which might suggest a wider host range for L. borgpetersenii. Broad host preference in a single genotype was also observed, which colonized not only different species of the same genera but also multiple animal genera. This study demonstrates that there may be variability in the range of genetic diversity among different Leptospira serogroups, which may be attributed to maintenance host animals and environmental factors.
authors: Department of Bacteriology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan. Electronic address: nkoizumi@niid.go.jp.
authors: Nobuo
authors: N
authors: Koizumi
authors: Department of Bacteriology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan.
authors: Hidemasa
authors: H
authors: Izumiya
authors: Bacterial Enteric and Emerging Diseases Laboratory, Center for Research, Diagnostics and Vaccine Development, Centers for Disease Control, Taiwan, No. 161 Kun-Yang Street, Taipei, 11561, Taiwan.
authors: Jung-Jung
authors: JJ
authors: Mu
authors: OIE Leptospirosis Reference Laboratory, Veterinary Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Stoney Road, Belfast BT4 3 SD, United Kingdom.
authors: Zbigniew
authors: Z
authors: Arent
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Okinawa Prefectural Institute of Health and Environment, 2085 Ozato, Ozato, Nanjo-shi, Okinawa 901-1202, Japan.
authors: Shou
authors: S
authors: Okano
authors: Division of Bioresources, Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Kita-20, Nishi-10, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan.
authors: Chie
authors: C
authors: Nakajima
authors: Division of Bioresources, Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Kita-20, Nishi-10, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan.
authors: Yasuhiko
authors: Y
authors: Suzuki
authors: Department of Bacteriology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan.
authors: Maki
authors: M
authors: Mizutani Muto
authors: Ikari Corporation, 579 Chibatera-machi, Chuo-ku, Chiba, Chiba 260-0844, Japan.
authors: Tsutomu
authors: T
authors: Tanikawa
authors: Laboratory of Wildlife Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita-18, Nishi-9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan.
authors: Kyle R
authors: KR
authors: Taylor
authors: Civil International Corporation, 1-19-4 Imado, Taito-ku, Tokyo 111-0024, Japan.
authors: Noriyuki
authors: N
authors: Komatsu
authors: Department of Microbiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita-15, Nishi-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8638, Japan.
authors: Kumiko
authors: K
authors: Yoshimatsu
authors: Bacteriology Department, National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi 10000, Vietnam.
authors: Hoang
authors: H
authors: Thi Thu Ha
authors: Department of Bacteriology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan.
authors: Makoto
authors: M
authors: Ohnishi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D056426:Genetic Loci; D007564:Japan; D007919:Leptospira / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D007921:Leptospira interrogans / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats; D058885:Multilocus Sequence Typing; D010802:Phylogeny; D065288:Serogroup
keywords: Leptospira borgpetersenii; Leptospira interrogans; Maintenance host; Multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis; Serogroup