Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026
06:49
Reduced Itraconazole Concentration and Durations Are Successful in Treating Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Infection in Amphibians
Published on: March 14, 2014
THE PROPHYLAXIS OF WEIL'S DISEASE (SPIROCHAETOSIS ICTEROHAEMORRHAGICA).
The Journal of Experimental Medicine
|October 30, 2009
Summary
Weil's disease outbreaks in coal mines were prevented by disinfection. Brown rats carry the virulent Spirochaeta icterohaemorrhagiae pathogen in their kidneys, transmitting infection through urine.
Area of Science:
- Bacteriology
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Pathogenic spirochetes can enter and exit the body through specific portals.
- Weil's disease (Leptospirosis) is a significant public health concern, particularly in environments with high rat populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of rats in the transmission of Weil's disease.
- To identify the prevalence of Spirochaeta icterohaemorrhagiae in rat populations.
- To inform prophylactic measures against Weil's disease.
Main Methods:
- Examination of rat kidneys and urine for Spirochaeta icterohaemorrhagiae using dark-field microscopy and guinea pig inoculation.
- Epidemiological investigation of Weil's disease cases in relation to rat exposure.
- Disinfection protocols in affected coal mines.
Main Results:
- 39.5% of examined rats (86 total) carried virulent Spirochaeta icterohaemorrhagiae in their kidneys.
- Spirochetes were found microscopically in 32.4% and via inoculation in 7% of rats.
- Infection was confirmed in guinea pigs through exposure to infected rat urine and rat bites.
Conclusions:
- Rats, particularly brown rats, are significant carriers of virulent Spirochaeta icterohaemorrhagiae.
- Transmission to humans likely occurs via infected rat urine.
- Effective prophylaxis involves environmental disinfection and rat population control.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Antiprotozoal Agents
Leishmaniasis is a widespread parasitic disease caused by several Leishmania species. It affects millions of people each year and remains a major public health problem in endemic regions. First-line treatment relies on pentavalent antimonials, including meglumine antimoniate and sodium stibogluconate. Even so, how these drugs work has not been fully clear, especially their interaction with parasite-specific biochemical pathways. One key target is trypanothione reductase (TR), an enzyme that...
01:26Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a severe tick-borne illness caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, a Gram-negative, coccobacillary bacterium. This pathogen is an obligate intracellular parasite, requiring a host cell for replication. Transmission occurs through the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, the most important vectors are Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) and Dermacentor andersoni (Rocky Mountain wood tick), though other tick species may also serve as vectors.
01:30Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis is a protozoal disease caused by species of the genus Leishmania and transmitted through the bite of infected female sandflies. The parasite exists in two principal morphological forms during its life cycle. A sandfly acquires intracellular amastigotes from an infected reservoir host, such as a dog. Within the sandfly, these forms differentiate into motile, flagellated promastigotes. During a subsequent blood meal, promastigotes are injected into the human host, where they...
01:21Rheumatic Heart Disease III: Medical Management
Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) management can be divided into two main strategies: prevention and long-term management.Primary PreventionPrimary prevention focuses on timely diagnosis and management of group A streptococcal pharyngitis to prevent acute rheumatic fever. The most widely used antibiotic for treating this condition is intramuscular benzathine penicillin G.Acute Rheumatic Fever TreatmentThe primary treatment goal for a patient diagnosed with acute rheumatic fever is to suppress the...
01:29Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease
Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a widespread pathogen that primarily targets infants and young children but also poses a serious health risk to elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Belonging to the Pneumoviridae family, RSV is a negative-sense, single-stranded RNA virus within the Pneumovirus genus. Its global health burden is significant, with millions of cases annually resulting in hospitalizations and mortality, particularly in resource-limited settings. Although most...
01:30Bacterial Phylum Spirochaetes
Spirochetes, unique bacteria in the phylum Spirochaetes, are gram-negative, motile, tightly coiled, slender, and flexible. They inhabit aquatic sediments and animals, with some causing diseases like syphilis. Spirochetes are classified into eight genera based on habitat, pathogenicity, phylogeny, and characteristics.Their distinctive motility arises from endoflagella, located within the cell’s periplasm. These endoflagella anchor at the cell poles and extend along the cell length, encased by a...