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Pathogens
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Leptospira and Leptospirosis: New Insights into an Old Disease
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Leptospira and Leptospirosis: New Insights into an Old Disease

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 July 2026 | Viewed by 1930

Editor

Prof. Dr. Sabina Kędzierska-Mieszkowska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of General and Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
Interests: bacterial stress response; molecular chaperones; host–pathogen interactions; ECF σ factors in gene regulation, stress adaptation, and virulence in L. interrogans

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Leptospirosis is a globally important zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira species, affecting humans and a wide range of animals. This disease has significant public health and economic implications; yet, despite over a century of research, many aspects of its biology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, and control remain incompletely understood.

This Special Issue of Pathogens aims to highlight recent advances in Leptospira research, including molecular mechanisms, host–pathogen interactions, diagnostics, epidemiology, and prevention strategies. Contributions that provide new insights and address unresolved questions or poorly understood aspects of the disease are particularly encouraged.

In addition, case reports that provide informative or unusual clinical or epidemiological observations may be of interest. Interdisciplinary studies bridging microbiology, veterinary and human medicine, ecology, and public health are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Sabina Kędzierska-Mieszkowska
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pathogens is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Leptospira
  • leptospirosis
  • bacterial pathogenesis
  • infection
  • virulence
  • host–pathogen interactions
  • zoonosis

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 644 KB  
Article
Environmental Detection of Pathogenic Leptospira DNA in Agricultural Ecosystems from a Mediterranean-Climate Region of Central Chile
by M. Fernanda San Martin, Nicol Quiroga, Arnau Casanovas-Massana, Carezza Botto-Mahan, Antonella Bacigalupo, Pedro E. Cattan, Patricio Arroyo, Juan Contardo, Rodrigo Salgado, Esteban Yefi-Quinteros and Juana P. Correa
Pathogens 2026, 15(7), 661; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15070661 - 23 Jun 2026
Viewed by 248
Abstract
Although pathogenic Leptospira DNA has been detected in water and soil from different climatic regions, information from Mediterranean-climate agricultural systems remains limited. This study characterized the environmental detection of pathogenic Leptospira DNA in water and soil samples from irrigated agroecosystems of central Chile, [...] Read more.
Although pathogenic Leptospira DNA has been detected in water and soil from different climatic regions, information from Mediterranean-climate agricultural systems remains limited. This study characterized the environmental detection of pathogenic Leptospira DNA in water and soil samples from irrigated agroecosystems of central Chile, evaluating spatial and seasonal variation and associations with selected physicochemical variables. A total of 605 samples were collected from eight agricultural sites during spring 2019, summer 2020, and winter 2021. Samples were analyzed by real-time PCR targeting lipL32. Overall, 29.1% of samples were PCR-positive, and pathogenic Leptospira DNA was detected in all sites and seasons. Soil samples showed higher positivity than water samples (34.5% vs. 21.4%), and positivity was higher in summer (41.7%) than in spring (22.7%) or winter (19.3%). Water temperature and turbidity were the only physicochemical variables that differed between positive and negative samples, whereas the binomial generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) showed that season and sample type were associated with PCR positivity after accounting for site-level clustering. These results show that pathogenic Leptospira DNA can be widely detected in irrigated agricultural systems from a Mediterranean-climate region, suggesting that soil, seasonality, irrigation practices, and other site-level characteristics should be considered in future studies on the environmental ecology of pathogenic Leptospira. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Leptospira and Leptospirosis: New Insights into an Old Disease)
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16 pages, 912 KB  
Article
The N-Terminal Domain of LIC12756 Is the Key Determinant of This Protein’s Anti-Sigma Activity Toward LIC12757 in Pathogenic Leptospira interrogans
by Sabina Kędzierska-Mieszkowska
Pathogens 2026, 15(4), 379; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15040379 - 1 Apr 2026
Viewed by 473
Abstract
Extracytoplasmic function (ECF) σ factors are central regulators of bacterial adaptation to environmental changes. The genome of Leptospira interrogans encodes 11 such factors, including LIC12757. Previous studies have shown that LIC12757 is regulated by the FecR-like protein LIC12756, forming a regulatory system similar [...] Read more.
Extracytoplasmic function (ECF) σ factors are central regulators of bacterial adaptation to environmental changes. The genome of Leptospira interrogans encodes 11 such factors, including LIC12757. Previous studies have shown that LIC12757 is regulated by the FecR-like protein LIC12756, forming a regulatory system similar to the Escherichia coli FecI-FecR system. Here, the domain-specific regulatory role of LIC12756 was investigated. Interactions between LIC12757 and several LIC12756 variants, including the N-terminal domain (NTD) alone, NTD with half or full transmembrane domain (NTD-TMD), and full-length LIC12756 (FL, control), were analyzed using the BACTH system. During logarithmic growth, interactions were detected only with FL and NTD-TMD, whereas in the stationary phase, all variants interacted with varying strengths. Pull-down assays using His6-tagged NTD confirmed its direct binding to LIC12757. Promoter activity analysis revealed that the NTD alone functions as an anti-σ factor in the logarithmic stage of growth. However, it is insufficient for full activation of LIC12757-dependent transcription during the stationary phase, as observed with FL protein. The NTD-TMD variant caused only minor stimulation compared to FL. These results indicate that NTD is a key determinant of LIC12756’s anti-σ activity toward LIC12757, whereas full activation of LIC12757 requires additional extrinsic signals, which are likely sensed by the C-terminal extracytoplasmic region (ECR). These findings provide mechanistic insight into ECF σ factor regulation in L. interrogans. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Leptospira and Leptospirosis: New Insights into an Old Disease)
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Review

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18 pages, 303 KB  
Review
Probable Leptospirosis in the Adventure Traveler with Freshwater Exposure: Narrative Review and Case Series
by Gregory D. Hawley, Ambika Agrawal, Maryam Alhashmi, Milica Novakovic and Andrea K. Boggild
Pathogens 2026, 15(7), 677; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15070677 - 26 Jun 2026
Viewed by 252
Abstract
Leptospirosis is an emerging zoonotic infectious disease in the adventure traveler with recreational freshwater exposure. We describe three cases of probable leptospirosis acquired during whitewater rafting trips in rural Ecuador. Rafting took place following periods of heavy rainfall and flooding of rivers, which [...] Read more.
Leptospirosis is an emerging zoonotic infectious disease in the adventure traveler with recreational freshwater exposure. We describe three cases of probable leptospirosis acquired during whitewater rafting trips in rural Ecuador. Rafting took place following periods of heavy rainfall and flooding of rivers, which are well documented risk factors for leptospirosis. Two of our patients presented to our rapid assessment clinic with acute febrile illness after travel to a region with a confirmed leptospirosis outbreak, while the third patient presented four weeks after a convalescent episode of acute febrile jaundice during a dramatic rise in reported leptospirosis cases in Ecuador. Delayed turnaround times for confirmatory microbiologic diagnostics in leptospirosis challenge its management and necessitate provisional clinical diagnosis and empiric antimicrobials based on compatible clinical symptoms, biochemical abnormalities, exposure history, and known outbreak epidemiology. We herein situate the presentations of our patients within the broader literature by reviewing the clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic considerations when caring for leptospirosis patients. Leptospirosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of all patients presenting with acute febrile illness following adventure travel with freshwater exposure, and empiric treatment should be considered given the absence of readily available confirmatory microbiologic testing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Leptospira and Leptospirosis: New Insights into an Old Disease)
10 pages, 252 KB  
Review
Leptospira Infections in Cats—What Do We Know?
by Bernard Wasiński
Pathogens 2026, 15(5), 506; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15050506 - 8 May 2026
Viewed by 464
Abstract
The incidence of Leptospira spp. infections in cats did not seem to be of major importance until the early 21st century. The relatively rare occurrence of individuals presenting antibodies against Leptospira spp. and the almost unheard of clinical cases appeared to suggest that [...] Read more.
The incidence of Leptospira spp. infections in cats did not seem to be of major importance until the early 21st century. The relatively rare occurrence of individuals presenting antibodies against Leptospira spp. and the almost unheard of clinical cases appeared to suggest that felids are poorly prone to Leptospira infections. Considering the close contact of cats with rodents (mice, rats, etc.), which are the main reservoir of leptospires, the above observations may, on the one hand, be surprising, but on the other hand, may reflect species-specific biological or ecological factors influencing susceptibility, although the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. The suspicions indicating cats as incidental hosts or asymptomatic carriers of Leptospira spp., their proximity to humans, and the “One Health” approach—particularly relevant recently in control of zoonoses—contributed in recent decades to greater research interest in feline leptospiral infections. Recent increasingly frequent data on the occurrence of antileptospiral antibodies in cats, cases of isolation of leptospiral DNA or viable spirochetes from blood or urine samples, and finally cases of clinical disease may support these hypotheses, although the available evidence remains limited and warrants further investigation. This review presents the current data on the incidence and pathogenesis of infections caused by Leptospira spp. in cats and their potential epidemiological role, including their possible contribution to environmental contamination and zoonotic transmission. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Leptospira and Leptospirosis: New Insights into an Old Disease)
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