Leptospirosis is an invasive infectious and systemic inflammatory disease

摘要

Pathogenic species are the causative agents of leptospirosis, a world-spreading zoonotic infectious disease. The pathogens possess a powerful invasiveness by invading human body through mucosal/skin barriers, rapid entry into bloodstream to cause septicemia, diffusion from bloodstream into internal organs and tissues to cause aggravation of disease, and discharge from urine through renal tubules to form natural infectious sources. Leptospirosis patients present severe inflammatory symptoms such as high fever, myalgia and lymphadenectasis. Hemorrhage and jaundice are the pathological features of this disease. Previous studies revealed that some outer membrane proteins of , the most important pathogenic species, acted as adherence factors to binding to receptor molecules (fibronectin, laminin and collagens) in extracellular matrix of host cells. Collagenase, metallopeptidases and endoflagellum contributed to the invasiveness of . Except for lipopolysaccharide, multiple hemolysins of displayed a powerful ability to induce pro-inflammatory cytokines and hepatocyte apoptosis. vWA and platelet activating factor acetylhydrolase-like proteins from could induce severe pulmonary hemorrhage in mice. utilized cellular endocytic recycling and vesicular transport systems for intracellular migration and transcellular transport. All the research achievements are helpful for further understanding the virulence of pathogenic species and pathogenesis of leptospirosis.