Adding a further twist to the tail of Leptospirosis in the UK

CONVENTIONAL serological typing of the spirochaete Leptospira (Fig 1) is challenging, particularly when applied to serogroup Pomona. This group being comprised of members of four genospecies, namely Leptospira interogans (Kennewicki; Monjakov; Pomona), Leptospira kirschneri (Altodouro; Mazdok; Tsaratsova; Kumming), Leptospira noguchii and Leptospira sanarosai; the last two species not being endemic to Europe. The significance attributed to these strains is hugely variable, with L kirschneri seorvar Mozdock rarely resulting in clinical signs of infection among livestock or companion animals, whereas L interrogans serovars Pomona type Kennewicki potentially results in devastating consequences from infection (Timoney and others 2011). The pathogenic traits of Kennewicki strains are not shared with other serovars belonging to the L interogans Pomona serogroup, such as Monjakov or Pomona. In Europe, within the Pomona serogroup, serovars Pomona and Mozdok in pigs and rodent reservoirs, respectively, are the most commonly encountered members of this group, with occasional spill-over into non-reservoir species.