Shaping the future of Leptospira serotyping

Leptospirosis is a re-emerging zoonosis caused by a diverse range of pathogenic Leptospira, which are divided into species, serogroups and serovars. Although advances in genomics have recently refined species classification, serotyping, which is based on the antigenic variability of lipopolysaccharides O-antigens, still relies heavily on traditional and labour-intensive methods. In addition, the molecular basis of serovar diversity is not fully understood, which poses challenges for rapid and accurate serovar and/or serogroup identification. However, identification of serovars remains crucial for epidemiological studies, surveillance, diagnostics, understanding host-pathogen interactions and vaccine development. In this review, we assess current techniques for Leptospira serovar and serogroup identification and explore emerging DNA-based methodologies for serovar and serogroup prediction.