Host Response to Leptospira Infection

Zuerner, Richard

doi:10.1007/978-3-662-45059-8_9

Abstract

Pathogenic Leptospira has the capacity to infect a broad range of mammalian hosts. Leptospirosis may appear as an acute, potentially fatal infection in accidental hosts, or progress into a chronic, largely asymptomatic infection in natural maintenance hosts. The course that Leptospira infection follows is dependent upon poorly understood factors, but is heavily influenced by both the host species and bacterial serovar involved in infection. Recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) by a variety of host pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) activates the host immune system. The outcome of this response may result in bacterial clearance, limited bacterial colonization of a few target organs, principally the kidney, or induction of sepsis as the host succumbs to infection and dies. This chapter describes current knowledge of how the host recognizes Leptospira and responds to infection using innate and acquired immune responses. Aspects of immune-mediated pathology and pathogen strategies to evade the host immune response are also addressed.

Published in

Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology
2015, volume: 387, number: 387, pages: 223-250
Title: Leptospira and Leptospirosis
Publisher: SPRINGER-VERLAG NEW YORK, MS INGRID CUNNINGHAM, 175 FIFTH AVE, NEW YORK, NY 10010 USA

SLU Authors

Zuerner, Richard
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

UKÄ Subject classification

Pathobiology

Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-45059-8_9
ISBN: 978-3-662-45058-1

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/76181