问号钩端螺旋体血清群LipL41基因型分析及其表达产物的免疫学鉴定

目的 确定我国15群15株问号钩端螺旋体(简称钩体)参考标准株和2群2株双曲钩体国际标准株携带LipL41基因情况，构建该基因的原核表达系统，鉴定表达产物的免疫原性。方法 常规酚—氯仿法提取上述17株钩体基因组DNA，高保真PCR扩增全长LipL41基因片段，T—A克隆后测序分型。构建LipL41基因原核表达系统，SDS-PAGE检测重组目的蛋白(rLipL41)表达情况。分别用钩体属特异性TP/patoe Ⅰ抗原、rLipL41兔抗血清的Western blot鉴定其免疫反应性和抗原性。分别用显微镜凝集试验(MAT)、钩体黏附J774A．1细胞模型检测兔抗rLipL41血清的交叉凝集效价和黏附阻断作用。结果 15株问号钩体均有LipL41基因，并可分为LipL41／1和LipL41／2两种基因型，2株双曲钩体则否。11个LipL41／1基因和4个LipL41／2基因克隆之间的核苷酸和氨基酸序列相似性分别为88．61％—88．67％和93．24％—97．18％。所构建的原核表达系统rLipL41／1和rLipL41／2的表达量分别占钩体总蛋白的30％和40％。rLipL41／1和rLipL41／2均能与TP/patoe Ⅰ抗血清发生结合反应，免疫家兔能产生抗体。rLipL41／1和rLipL41／2兔抗血清对上述15株问号钩体MAT效价为1：8，1：128、1：16～1：2．S6稀释时均能有效地阻断钩体对细胞的黏附。结论 我国主要的15群问号钩体代表株均有LipL41／1或LipL41／2基因。所构建原核表达系统能高效表达rLipL41／1和rLipL41／2。rLipL41／1和rLipL41／2是具有良好抗原性和免疫反应性、广泛存在于不同血清群问号钩体表面的蛋白抗原。     

甲型副伤寒杆菌ompA基因分布及重组表达产物的免疫学鉴定

目的 构建甲型副伤寒杆菌ompA基因原核表达系统,确定其重组表达产物rOmpA免疫原性和保护作用,检测甲型副伤寒杆菌临床菌株ompA基因携带率.方法 采用PCR从甲型副伤寒杆菌临床株JH01中扩增ompA基因,T-A克隆后测序并构建ompA基因原核表达系统.采用SDS-PAGE和Bio-Rad凝胶图像分析系统检测rOmpA表达情况及其产量,采用免疫扩散法、微量肥达试验和Western blot鉴定其抗原性和免疫反应性.采用PCR检测98株甲型副伤寒杆菌临床菌株ompA基因携带率.采用小鼠感染模型,了解rOmpA对甲型副伤寒杆菌50001株感染的免疫保护作用.结果 与报道的相关序列比较,所克隆的ompA基因核苷酸和氨基酸序列相似性均为100%.rOmpA表达量约为细菌总蛋白的65%.rOmpA能与其兔抗血清和甲型副伤寒杆菌全菌抗血清产生免疫反应(Western blot),并可在家兔中诱导产生抗体.94.9%(93/98)甲型副伤寒杆菌临床菌株含有ompA基因.100 μg和200 μg rOmpA对感染小鼠的免疫保护率分别为41.7%(5/12)和58.3%(7/12).rOmpA免疫小鼠或保护试验存活小鼠血清对各副伤寒杆菌H抗原的凝集效价为1:5～1:40.结论 ompA基因在甲型副伤寒杆菌临床菌株中分布广泛.rOmpA有良好的免疫原性和一定的免疫保护作用,可考虑为甲型副伤寒杆菌基因工程疫苗候选抗原.     

我国主要问号钩端螺旋体血清群lipL21基因序列及其产物免疫反应性分析

目的 分析我国15群15型问号钩端螺旋体（简称钩体）参考标准株外膜脂蛋白lipL21基因序列，构建该基因原核表达系统并鉴定表达产物的免疫原性，了解lipL21基因自然表达状况。方法 高保真PCR扩增上述问号钩体株及双曲钩体Paloc型PalocⅠ株基因组DNA中全长lipL21基因片段，T-A克隆后测序并构建其原核表达系统。分别用钩体TR/PatocⅠ和rLipL21兔抗血清为一抗的Western blot鉴定目的重组蛋白rLipL21的免疫原性，显微镜凝集试验（MAT）检测rLipL21兔抗血清的交叉凝集效价。以盐变-去垢剂处理法提取钩体外膜蛋白，用SDS-PAGE和免疫印迹法检测上述钩体株lipL21基因自然表达情况。结果 上述钩体株均存在序列高度保守的lipL21基因，其核苷酸和氨基酸序列相似性分别为98．75％～99．82％和99．46％～100％。rLipL21能与TR/PatocⅠ及rLipL21兔抗血清发生结合反应。rLipL21免疫家兔能产生抗体，该抗体对上述15株问号钩体MAT效价为1：16～1：128。问号钩体外膜标本中均可检出LipL21，双曲钩体则否。结论 我国钩体群参考标准株均含有序列保守的lipL21基因并自然表达于外膜，双曲钩体PatocⅠ株虽含有lipL21基因但未表达。rLipL21具有良好的抗原性和免疫反应性，有可能作为新型钩体疫苗或检测试剂盒的候选属特异性表面抗原之一。     

问号钩端螺旋体T和B细胞表位联合基因的原核表达及其产物免疫性分析

目的 构建问号钩端螺旋体(简称钩体)LipL32、OmpL1和LipL21蛋白的优势T-和B-细胞联合表位融合基因及其原核表达系统,并对表达产物的免疫原性进行鉴定.方法 人工合成多表位联合基因并构建其原核表达系统.采用SDS-PAGE检测重组蛋白;采用MAT检测重组蛋白兔抗血清与我国钩体标准参考株的凝集效价;Western blot和ELISA检测重组蛋白的免疫原性.结果 获得了多表位融合基因并构建了原核表达系统.表达产物的相对分子质量约为23×103,且主要以可溶性形式存在;重组蛋白兔抗血清免疫双扩散效价为1∶8,该抗血清能与我国15群的钩体标准参考株发生凝集反应,ELISA证明该重组蛋白能检测不同群型钩体感染患者血清中的抗钩体抗体.结论 成功构建了包含钩体LipL32、OmpL1和LipL21蛋白的优势T和B细胞联合表位基因及其原核表达系统,表达产物具有良好的抗原性和交叉免疫反应性,可作为研制通用型问号钩体基因工程疫苗及血清学检测的抗原.     

问号钩端螺旋体毒力相关蛋白InvA转录和表达特征的研究

目的 确定我国不同基因种问号钩端螺旋体(简称钩体)参考标准株携带毒力相关基因invA的情况,了解问号钩体赖株感染细胞前后invA基因转录和表达水平的变化.方法 采用PCR检测4个不同基因种问号钩体株及双曲钩体Patoc Ⅰ株invA基因.克隆问号钩体全长invA基因并测序,构建问号钩体黄疸出血群赖型赖株invA基因原核表达系统.Ni-NTA亲和层析法提纯目的重组蛋白rlnvA后免疫家兔获得抗血清,免疫双扩散法检测其效价.建立问号钩体赖株感染人胚肾上皮细胞HEK293模型,采用荧光定量RT-PCR和Western blot分别检测问号钩体赖株感染HEK293细胞前后invA基因的转录和表达水平的变化.结果 4个不同基因种的问号钩体株均含有invA基因,双曲钩体Patoc Ⅰ株则否.4株不同基因种的问号钩体invA基因核苷酸和氨基酸序列相似性分别为99.33%～100%和98.66%～100%.所构建的原核表达系统能有效地表达rInvA.rInvA兔抗血清免疫双扩效价为1:16.问号钩体赖株感染HEK293细胞30 min以后可大量黏附于细胞表面.问号钩体赖株感染HEK293细胞30 min时,invA基因mRNA水平明显上调,45 min时达到峰值,然后逐渐下降.问号钩体赖株感染HEK293细胞后45 min和60 min时可检出InvA蛋白,感染前及感染90 min以后检测结果均为阴性.结论 invA基因是致病性问号钩体所特有的基因.invA基因具有宿主细胞接触式表达及瞬时表达的特点,与问号钩体侵入宿主细胞密切相关.     

不同毒力的问号钩端螺旋体对Vero及J774A.1细胞的黏附和内化

目的 探讨问号钩端螺旋体对传代细胞黏附和内化的能力及其差异。方法 实验中采用非洲绿猴肾成纤维细胞(Vero)和小鼠单核巨噬样细胞(J774A．1)细胞株。采用透射电镜、扫描电镜和Fontana镀银染色法，观察问号钩端螺旋体强毒株黄疸出血群赖型56601、弱毒株波摩那群波摩那型56608黏附细胞及内化能力及其差异，采用腐生性的双曲钩端螺旋体三宝垄群patoc型Patoc I株作为对照.结果 问号钩端螺旋体黄疸出血群赖型56601株和波摩那群波摩那型56608株均能以一端或两端黏附于Vero及J774A．1细胞。钩体56601株和56608株对J774A．1的黏附率分别为49％和46．9％，对Vero细胞黏附率分别为24．2％和22．9％。钩体56601株和56608株可侵入上述2株细胞，在胞质内形成典型的吞噬泡。钩体56601株还可侵入宿主细胞核内，56608株则否。双曲钩端螺旋体二宝垄群patoc型Patoc I株不能黏附和侵入细胞。结论 两株受试的不同毒力问号钩体株均能黏附细胞，并以内化方式侵入细胞。细胞株的差异可明显影响钩体黏附和内化能力。问号钩体毒力的强弱可能与黏附能力无关，而与其侵入胞核的能力密切相关。     

问号钩端螺旋体血清群LipL32基因型分析及其重组蛋白的免疫学鉴定

目的　探讨 15群 15型问号钩端螺旋体 (简称钩体 )中国参考标准株及 2群 2型双曲钩体国际参考标准株是否均存在主要外膜蛋白 (MOMP)基因 (LipL32 ) ,克隆并构建该基因的原核表达系统 ,鉴定表达产物的免疫性。方法　常规酚 氯仿法提取上述钩体株基因组DNA ,高保真PCR扩增全长LipL32基因片段 ,T A克隆后测定核苷酸序列并构建表达系统 ,不同浓度IPTG诱导后用SDS PAGE检测rMOMP表达情况。分别用兔抗TR patocⅠ钩体全菌抗血清、rMOMPs免疫兔血清的Westernblot鉴定其免疫反应性和免疫原性 ,显微镜凝集试验 (MAT)检测rMOMPs免疫兔血清的交叉凝集效价 ,钩体细胞黏附模型检测抗体阻断效果。结果　上述 17株钩体均有LipL32基因 ,但可分LipL32 1和LipL32 2两种基因型。 13个LipL32 1和 4个Li pL32 2基因型之间核苷酸和氨基酸序列同源性分别为 95 .12 %～ 96 .6 0 %和 97.79%～ 98.16 %。IPTG诱导后rMOMP1和rMOMP2表达量分别占细菌总蛋白的 4 0 %和 10 %。rMOMP1和rMOMP2均能与兔抗钩体TR patocⅠ血清发生结合反应 ,免疫家兔可对上述 17株钩体产生 1∶2～ 1∶6 4MAT效价的凝集抗体。 1∶2～ 1∶16稀释的兔抗rMOMP1和rMOMP2血清均能有效地阻断钩体的黏附。结论　所有检测的钩体具有LipL32 1或LipL32 2基因。所     

问号钩端螺旋体内化过程中细胞内游离Ca2+水平变化及细胞凋亡

目的建立观察问号钩端螺旋体(简称钩体)黏附的双荧光染色法,探讨不同毒力钩体对细胞内游离Ca2+水平及细胞凋亡的影响.方法以问号钩体黄疸出血群赖型56601株和双曲钩体三堡垄群patoc型PatocⅠ株抗血清为一抗、羊抗兔IgG荧光素F(ab)2和罗丹明F(ab)2片段为二抗的双荧光染色法,分别检测56601株和PatocⅠ株钩体对Vero、J774A.1细胞的黏附作用.采用fluo-3/AM胞内Ca2+特异荧光标记激光共聚焦技术,检测问号钩体56601株和波摩那群波摩那型56608株、双曲钩体PatocⅠ株作用的J774A.1细胞胞内游离Ca2+水平的变化.采用FITC-annexinⅤ/PI荧光标记流式细胞术,检测紫外线灭活前后的56601株钩体诱导Vero和J774A.1细胞凋亡的情况.结果所建立的双荧光染色法能清晰地观察到强毒力的56601株钩体对Vero和J774A.1细胞的黏附,无毒力的PatocⅠ株钩体则否.正常J774A.1细胞胞内游离Ca2+基础值为(105.0±7.0)%,PatocⅠ株钩体作用细胞的荧光强度变化百分数一直波动于(102.2±5.2)%.56601株钩体感染J774A.1细胞胞内游离Ca2+浓度迅速增高,呈现为双峰型曲线,其荧光强度变化百分数分别为(747.5±35.7)%和(804.6±40.8)%.56608株钩体感染J774A.1细胞胞内游离Ca2+浓度呈现为缓慢的单一坡型升高,其最大荧光强度变化百分数为(402.4±23.6)%,明显小于56601株钩体,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01).紫外线灭活前后56601株钩体作用Vero细胞的凋亡率分别为84.5%和78.2%,J774A.1细胞凋亡率分别为34.5%和30.9%.结论所建立的双荧光染色法可用于观察钩体的黏附.细胞胞内游离Ca2+水平与所感染的钩体菌株毒力成正相关.有毒力的钩体接触细胞时即可诱导凋亡发生,启动细胞凋亡信号通路的配体分子可能位于钩体表面.     

甲型副伤寒沙门菌spaO-ompA融合基因构建及其表达产物免疫保护作用

目的 构建甲型副伤寒沙门菌spaO-ompA融合基因及其原核表达系统,确定重组表达产物rSpaO-OmpA免疫保护作用.方法 采用柔性肽序列连接spaO与ompA基因,构建spaO-ompA人工融合基因及其原核表达系统.采用SDS-PAGE和Bio-Rad凝胶图像分析系统检测目的重组表达产物rSpaO-OmpA表达情况及其产量.采用免疫扩散法、微量肥达和Western blot法鉴定rSpaO-OmpA 抗原性和免疫反应性.采用小鼠感染模型了解rSpaO-OmpA对甲型副伤寒沙门菌致死性感染的免疫保护作用,实验中采用重组表达的SpaO( rSpaO)及OmpA(rOmpA)作为对照.结果 所构建的spaO-ompA融合基因与spaO或ompA单基因核苷酸和氨基酸序列相似性均为100％.所构建的原核表达系统E.coli BL21 DE3pET42a-spaO-ompA能高效表达重组融合蛋白rSpaO-OmpA.rSpaO-OmpA能与甲型副伤寒沙门菌全菌抗血清结合并产生阳性杂交信号,免疫家兔后可产生特异性抗体.100 μg或200 μgrSpaO-OmpA对甲型副伤寒沙门菌感染小鼠的免疫保护率分别为66.7％ (8/12)和83.3％ (10/12),明显高于等量rSpaO及rOmpA( P＜0.05).rSpaO-OmpA免疫小鼠血清与不同副伤寒沙门菌H抗原的凝集效价为1∶5 ～ 1∶40、与rSpaO和rOmpA及rSpaO-OmpA免疫双扩散效价为1∶1 ～1∶16.结论 人工融合重组抗原rSpaO-OmpA免疫原性和免疫保护作用较等量rSpaO或rOmpA更强.     

问号钩端螺旋体脂蛋白LipL32膜定位及其免疫应答

目的 确定问号钩端螺旋体(简称钩体)属特异性脂蛋白抗原LipL32膜定位及其自然抗体应答情况和抗体类型.方法 IPTG诱导目的 重组蛋白rLipL32-1和rLipL32-2表达,Ni-NTA亲和层析法提纯rLipL32.采用显微镜凝集试验(MAT)检测四川地区钩体患者血清标本及rLipL32兔抗血清与我国问号钩体参考标准株的交叉凝集情况.采用胶体金免疫电镜技术对LipL32进行膜定位.建立基于rLipL32的ELISA,检测钩体患者血清中特异性抗体类型及其水平.结果 黄疸出血群是四川地区最主要的优势钩体血清群.rLipL32兔抗血清均能与我国问号钩体参考标准株发生MAT效价为1∶80～1∶320的交叉凝集反应.LipL32是位于钩体外膜表面的蛋白质分子.156例MAT阳性钩体患者血清标本中,rLipL32-1和rLipL32-2特异性IgM阳性率分别为91.0%～92.9%和90.4%～92.3%,特异性IgG阳性率分别为99.4%和97.4%～98.1%.结论 LipL32是问号钩体属特异性表面蛋白抗原.自然感染钩体时,LipL32-1和LipL32-2可诱导机体产生IgM和IgG两类血清抗体.rLipL32-1和rLipL32-2可作为研制检测试剂盒的候选抗原.     

New fimbrial antigenic type (E8775) that may represent a colonization factor in enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli in humans.

An enterotoxigenic strain of Escherichia coli O25:H42 (strain E8775), isolated from a patient in Bangladesh with diarrhea, caused mannose-resistant hemagglutination (MRHA) of human and bovine erythrocytes. The strain did not show slide agglutination or immunodiffusion precipitin lines with antiserum specific for the colonization factor antigen CFA/I or CFA/II. A variant E. coli strain, E8775-B, did not cause MRHA or produce enterotoxin. Electron microscopy revealed the presence of fimbriae on the surface of strain E8775 but not strain E8775-B. When strain E8775 was grown at 22 degrees C, it became MRHA negative and fimbriae were absent. An antiserum prepared against strain E8775 was absorbed with strain E8775-B to make an antiserum specific for the fimbrial antigen. Using this absorbed antiserum, we found the fimbrial antigen in 48 of 742 enterotoxigenic E. coli strains. The 48 strains belonged to serogroups O25, O115, and O167. It is suggested by analogy to the properties of previously described colonization factors that these fimbriae may play a part in the colonization of the intestinal epithelium.     

Opsonic monoclonal antibodies against lipopolysaccharide antigens of Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo

Six monoclonal antibodies produced from mice immunised with Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo were directed against determinants in the leptospiral lipopolysaccharide, as indicated by immunodiffusion and enzyme immunoassay (EIA), and opsonised leptospires for phagocytosis by mouse macrophages. Their specificities were studied by agglutination and EIA. Five antibodies reacted with some, but not all, members of the Sejroe and Hebdomadis serogroups, and one antibody agglutinated exclusively members of the Sejroe group thus indentifying a serogroup-specific epitope. None of the six antibodies reacted with representative serovars of any other serogroup.     

Serological follow-up of patients involved in a localized outbreak of leptospirosis

Eighteen patients involved in a localized outbreak of leptospirosis were subjected to a serological follow-up study over a 5-year period. Four distinct sets of sera from all patients and a fifth sample obtained from 10 of them were examined by the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) for demonstration of leptospiral antibodies. The test was carried out by using live leptospires from reference strains of 17 Leptospira interrogans serovars known to occur in Italy. In all cases, the highest titers of agglutinins were recorded against one or more of the three Australis group serovars tested (australis, bratislava, and lora). The highest antibody levels were reached soon after the acute phase of infection in some patients but only after some months in others. Titers then tended to recede with varying rapidity, but titers against the Australis group serovars were still detectable in some patients after 5 years. Coagglutinins against serovars of other serogroups were detected, generally at low levels, in the early sets of sera of most patients, but tended to disappear in the late-set sera. Specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG against the three Australis group serovars were determined in most serum samples from 16 patients by solid-phase enzyme immunoassay (EIA). In general, EIA titers were considerably lower than MAT titers, but there was a certain patient-to-patient variability in both the IgM/IgG ratio and the evolution and persistence of the two immunoglobulin classes. Since all the evidence indicated that the initial outbreak from a single source, the observed patient-to-patient variability in the progress of both MAT and EIA titers appeared to be attributable to factors inherent in the individual patients. Cross agglutination absorption tests, aimed at retrospectively determining to which of the Australis group serovars the outbreak-specific infecting strain belonged, were performed with six serum samples from different patients. Most absorbed sera seemed to originate from an australis or lora infection, but it was not possible to discriminate conclusively between the two serovars.     

Hemagglutination activity and colonization factor antigens I and II in enterotoxigenic and non-enterotoxigenic strains of Escherichia coli isolated from humans.

We examined 205 enterotoxigenic strains of Escherichia coli for colonization factor antigens (CFA) I and II, using an immunodiffusion technique with specific antisera. A total of 36 strains of serogroups O63, O78, O114, O128, and O153 and 1 rough strain possessed CFA/I and gave a single precipitin line; 47 strains of serogroups O6, O8, O80, and O115 possessed CFA/II. The latter strains gave a major precipitin line (component 3) when tested with specific antisera prepared against strain E1392 or PB-176 (both E. coli O6.H16; biotype A). However, all 16 strains of E. coli O6.H16 belonging to biotype A gave a second precipitin line (component 1) when tested with both antisera. When CFA/II-positive strains were tested with a specific antiserum prepared against E. coli O6.H16 strains of biotype B or C, all strains gave component 3, but 16 of 17 strains of E. coli O6.H16 belonging to biotype B, C, or F gave a second precipitin line (component 2) not given by strains of biotype A. CFA/II-positive strains of serogroups other than O6 gave only component 3 in tests with all specific antisera. Nine enterotoxigenic strains of serotypes O7, O15, O25, O115, and O128 gave mannose-resistant hemagglutination of human or calf erythrocytes but lacked CFA/I or CFA/II. Although mannose-resistant hemagglutination was common in non-enterotoxigenic strains of E. coli, none of the non-enterotoxigenic strains possessed CFA/I or CFA/II; these strains included fecal strains of serogroups O6, O8, O63, and O78, fecal strains of enteropathogenic serogroups, and strains from extraintestinal sources.     

Cross-reactions in Legionella antisera with Bordetella pertussis strains.

While preparing slide agglutination test antisera and immunofluorescence conjugates for the identification of Legionella species and serogroups, we found that several of the reagents cross-reacted with Bordetella pertussis strains. To determine the extent of this problem and to estimate the specificity of Legionella reagents, we tested slide agglutination test antisera against 22 species and 35 serogroups with 92 bacterial strains representing 19 genera. The only cross-reactions observed were with Legionella pneumophila serogroup 10, L. maceachernii, L. gormanii, and L. feeleii serogroup 1 antisera and 4 of 10 B. pertussis strains. Nineteen conjugates, previously available from the Centers for Disease Control but no longer distributed as reference reagents, were tested with the four cross-reactive B. pertussis strains. Two conjugates, L. micdadei and L. wadsworthii, stained three of the B. pertussis strains at a fluorescence intensity of greater than or equal to 3+. All cross-reactions were removed from the antisera and conjugates by absorption with the cross-reacting strain without diminishing the homologous reaction. Special emphasis should be placed on the identification and removal of cross-reactions in Legionella reagents with strains that have similar morphologic and growth characteristics.     

Hemagglutination by Escherichia coli in septicemia and urinary tract infections.

The agglutination of erythrocytes from various animal species by Escherichia coli was studied. The 405 strains of E. coli were isolated from urine in patients with urinary tract infections, from blood in septicemic patients, or from feces in persons without intestinal or urinary disorders. In urinary tract infections, d-mannose-resistant agglutination (MRHA) of human erythrocytes was the most common finding (23% of the strains). The highest frequency of mannose-sensitive hemagglutination (MSHA) attributed to type I (common type) pili occurred with guinea pig erythrocytes (11.5%). Of the 78 E. coli strains isolated from blood cultures, 11 (14%) produced MRHA of human erythrocytes and only one gave MSHA. In the stool cultures, only 1 of 170 E. coli strains was MSHA reacting, whereas 28 strains (16.5%) showed MRHA of human erythrocytes. No MRHA strain reacted with antiserum against colonization factor antigen (CFA)/I of pilus nature in enterotoxigenic human E. coli strains (O78:H12). MRHA of bovine erythrocytes, reputedly typical of enterotoxigenic E. coli of serogroups O6 and O8, was shown by only two strains, neither of which agglutinated with CFA/II antiserum. The most common hemagglutinating pattern of E. coli from urine and blood thus was MRHA for human erythrocytes. This agglutination may have been caused by pili or other surface properties of one or more serotypes. These may represent a new class of colonization-promoting antigens (adhesins).     

Identification of variable-number tandem-repeat loci in Leptospira interrogans sensu stricto

Leptospira interrogans sensu stricto is responsible for the most frequent and severe cases of human leptospirosis. The epidemiology and clinical features of leptospirosis are usually associated with the serovars and serogroups of Leptospira. Because of the difficulties associated with serological identification of Leptospira strains, we evaluated a novel PCR-based method for typing L. interrogans serovars. Based upon the genome sequence of L. interrogans serovar Lai type strain 5660, 44 loci were analyzed by PCR for their variability in size due to the presence of variable-number tandem repeats (VNTR). Seven VNTR loci were found to be powerful markers for serovar identification, epidemiology, and phylogenetic studies of L. interrogans. This rapid and easy method should greatly contribute to a better knowledge of the epidemiology of Leptospira.