title: [Evaluation of a reduced panel of leptospira strains for microagglutination].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate if the use of the 19 Leptospira strains panel suggested by the International Leptospirosis Society of World Health Organization for microagglutination allows confirmation of more cases that the 12 strains panel used in Argentina.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional observational study. We studied 441 serum samples corresponding to Argentinean patients with suspected leptospirosis derived during from July to December, 2009 and from January to October, 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The same number of positive samples was obtained using the MAT with the 19 or 12 strains. In six cases a serovar of the expanded collection was presumably infecting, but always coagglutinated with strains of the reduced panel.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Argentina, the diagnosis of leptospirosis by MAT could be made using the reduced 12 strains panel, obtaining the same result in case detection as using the 19 strains panel. Additional information provided by the use of all strains could be the presumably infecting serogroup.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Leptospirosis, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias Dr. Emilio Coni, Santa Fe, Argentina.
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Leptospirosis, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias Dr. Emilio Coni, Santa Fe, Argentina.
authors.forename: María F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Schmeling
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Leptospirosis, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias Dr. Emilio Coni, Santa Fe, Argentina.
authors.forename: Yosena T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Chiani
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Leptospirosis, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias Dr. Emilio Coni, Santa Fe, Argentina.
authors.forename: Noelia Y
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Landolt
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Zoonosis Rurales, Ministerio de Salud de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Exequiel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scialfa
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio Central de la Provincia de Santa Fe, Santa Fe, Argentina.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fusco
authors.forename: Bibiana
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vanasco
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000592:standards*; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007919:Leptospira / Q000145:classification*; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D065288:Serogroup