Characteristics of Pathogenic Spirochetes and Spirochetoses With Special Reference to the Mechanisms of Host Resistance

Stavitsky, Abram B.

doi:10.1128/mmbr.12.3.203-255.1948

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 52 publications

(113 reference statements)

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“…Immunity to leptospirosis in humans and other mammals does not occur without prior infection or immunization (17). The present data and those of others (5, 12, 21) confirm that pathogenic strains of leptospires are resistant to serum bactericidal activity of normal serum and are not ingested by phagocytes in the presence of normal serum.…”

Section: Fig 5 Transmission Electron Micrograph Showing Phagocytosissupporting

confidence: 87%

Role of specific antibody in interaction of leptospires with human monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages

Wang¹,

Sullivan²,

Sullivan³

et al. 1984

Infect Immun

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It has previously been shown that human neutrophils ingest and kill nonpathogenic Leptospira biflexa in the absence of serum but that pathogenic Leptospira interrogans is not ingested by neutrophils even in the presence of normal serum. We extended this study by examining the interactions of humnan monocytes and monocytederived macrophages with pathogenic L. interrogans (serovar icterohaemorrhagiae) and evaluating the opsonizing effect of serotype-specific immune serum on the phagocytosis of pathogenic leptospires by monocytes and neutrophils. Leptospires were incubated with monocytes in pellets at 37°C in 5% CO2. No ingestion or killing of pathogenic leptospires occurred when 10% normal serum was used. However, when the pathogenic leptospires were pretreated with serotype-specific immune serum, monocytes or neutrophils in pellets ingested 96% of the organisms and killed 94% of those ingested. Microscopic observations of the interaction confirmed that phagocytosis of the opsonized pathogenic leptospires by monocytes, monocyte-derived macrophages, and neutrophils had occurred. The opsonizing effect of specific antibody may play an important role in the mechanism of host defense against leptospirosis.

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