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Detection of leptospiral antigen in the human liver and kidney using an immunoperoxidase staining procedure
Abstract:
Detection of leptospiral antigen using an immunoperoxidase staining (IP) procedure was carried out on fifteen samples of human liver, (nine from autopsies and six from biopsies) and nine samples of human kidneys (eight autopsies and one biopsy). The IP staining procedure to detect leptospiral antigen (L. interrogans serovar icterohaemorrhagiae) in human liver and kidney proved to be a reproducible method useful on paraffin embedded tissues after formalin, Bouin's or Helly's fluid fixation. Furthermore, the IP procedure on paraffin-embedded tissue appears to have potential as an aid to the diagnosis. IP stained leptospiral antigen was detected in portal spaces of the liver, engulfed by cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system, in the interstitium of the kidney, and lining vessel walls of both liver and kidney. The results suggest that in acute human leptospirosis (L. interrogans serovar icterohaemorrhagiae) the main factors in the pathogenesis of the lesions are related to the presence of organisms and/or their virulence, including products released by lysis.
Insights
Immunoperoxidase staining reliably detects leptospiral antigen in human liver and kidney tissues. This method aids in diagnosing leptospirosis by identifying the bacteria
Area of Science:
- Medical Microbiology
- Immunohistochemistry
- Pathology
Background:
- Leptospirosis is a significant zoonotic disease caused by Leptospira interrogans.
- Accurate detection of leptospiral antigen is crucial for diagnosis and understanding pathogenesis.
- Traditional diagnostic methods may have limitations in tissue-based detection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the immunoperoxidase staining (IP) procedure for detecting leptospiral antigen in human liver and kidney tissues.
- To assess the reproducibility and utility of the IP method on paraffin-embedded tissues.
- To investigate the potential of IP staining as a diagnostic aid for leptospirosis.
Main Methods:
- Immunoperoxidase (IP) staining was performed on 15 human liver samples (9 autopsy, 6 biopsy) and 9 human kidney samples (8 autopsy, 1 biopsy).
- Tissues were fixed in formalin, Bouin's, or Helly's fluid and embedded in paraffin.
- Detection focused on Leptospira interrogans serovar icterohaemorrhagiae antigen.
Main Results:
- The IP staining procedure proved reproducible for detecting leptospiral antigen in fixed, paraffin-embedded human liver and kidney tissues.
- Leptospiral antigen was identified in the portal spaces of the liver, within mononuclear phagocyte system cells, and in the kidney interstitium.
- Antigen was also observed lining the walls of blood vessels in both organs.
Conclusions:
- Immunoperoxidase staining is a valuable and reproducible method for detecting leptospiral antigen in archival human tissues.
- The IP procedure shows potential as an adjunctive diagnostic tool for acute human leptospirosis.
- The presence of Leptospira interrogans and/or its virulence factors likely contributes significantly to lesion pathogenesis in acute leptospirosis.