Abstract
Leptospirosis, which is caused by pathogenic spirochetes of the genus Leptospira, is an important zooanthroponosis, both from a clinical and economic standpoint. The wide variety of potential disease reservoirs, coupled with the ability of Leptospira to survive for long periods in soils and surface water combine to make leptospirosis the most common zoonosis in the world (1). Most leptospiral infections are either subclinical or self-limiting and are characterized by flu-like symptoms. If left untreated, though, more serious forms of the illness can result in spontaneous abortion, uveitis, jaundice, damage and failure of the heart, liver, and kidneys, and even a severe hemorrhagic condition resembling viral hemorrhagic fevers (1).
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© 2003 Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ
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Lester, J.W., LeFebvre, R.B. (2003). Detection of Leptospira interrogans . In: Sachse, K., Frey, J. (eds) PCR Detection of Microbial Pathogens. Methods in Molecular Biology™, vol 216. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-344-5:193
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-344-5:193
Publisher Name: Humana Press
Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-049-6
Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-344-6
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