Identification of circulating miRNA biomarkers in leptospirosis for early detection: A promising diagnostic approach.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of global significance, contributing to morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is endemic to tropical regions, with outbreaks during monsoons. The disease manifestations are similar to that of other febrile illness such as dengue, malaria hence often misdiagnosed and underreported. The zoonoses if undetected, progresses to cause severe life-threatening complications also known as Weil's disease. Routine diagnostic tests are based on the detection of antibodies in patient serum and are not accurate during the initial phase of the infection. Therefore, it is necessary to detect novel biomarkers that can be used in early detection of leptospirosis. Circulating miRNAs are known to be promising biomarkers for various diseases including cancer, tuberculosis, influenza; hence in this study the potential of miRNAs as biomarkers for leptospirosis was evaluated. A total of 30 leptospirosis cases were screened for the differential expression of 10 miRNA by RT-qPCR assay. The differential expression was calculated by relative quantification using healthy individuals as controls. Among the 10 miRNA,3 miRNA, miR-28-5p, miR-302c-3p and miR-302a-3p were reported to exhibit a significant trend of upregulation. Further their role in immune pathways and biological processes was investigated by KEGG analysis and Gene Ontology. The 3 miRNAs were observed to target various immune response pathways, thus confirming their role in host immune response. Based on the results obtained in this study, miR-28-5p, miR-302c-3p and miR-302a-3p can be considered as potential biomarkers for the detection of leptospirosis.

Identification of Dominant Leptospira Serogroups among Leptospirosis Cases and Their Clinical Outcomes: A Prospective Hospital-Based Study in Mangaluru, India.

Leptospirosis is a reemerging zoonotic disease of worldwide significance, endemic to the southern region of India, with clinical manifestations similar to other febrile illnesses; hence, it is often misdiagnosed and underreported. Inadequate information about the disease burden and the regional circulating serogroups contributes to its neglected disease status. This study aimed to identify the infecting Leptospira serogroup in the coastal region of Mangaluru and study the clinical symptoms and outcome among leptospirosis patients. Serum samples were collected from 30 patients with confirmed leptospirosis admitted to a tertiary care center in Mangaluru and screened by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) for the infecting serogroup. The clinical profile of these cases was reviewed, and data regarding epidemiological factors such as age, sex, complications, and mortality were recorded. The MAT identified a higher occurrence of serogroup Bataviae (n = 7, 43.75%) and serogroup Australis (n = 5, 31.25%) compared with other serogroups screened in this study population. Patients were aged 16 to 65 years, with a predominance of males. The clinical presentation of leptospirosis ranged from a mild febrile illness to multiorgan failure. Fever (n = 29, 96%) was the common clinical presentation, followed by myalgia, nausea, and abdominal pain. Acute kidney injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome were the common complications observed. Determining the circulating serogroup is necessary to understand the epidemiology and diversity of Leptospira serogroups among animals and humans to strategize appropriate preventive measures.

Current methods for the diagnosis of leptospirosis: Issues and challenges.

Leptospirosis is a re-emerging anthropo-zoonotic infection of worldwide significance caused by the pathogenic spirochete (Leptospira interrogans) of the genus Leptospira, predominant in tropical/temperate regions and endemic to areas receiving heavy rainfall and flooding. Clinical presentation is similar to that of other febrile illnesses exhibiting mild symptoms which are often self-limiting. Hence, Leptospirosis is often mis-diagnosed and remains untreated progressing to Weil's Disease which is fatal. As only 30% of cases are diagnosed in endemic countries, Leptospirosis remains as a neglected zoonotic disease of tropical regions, due to poor diagnostic facilities and mild, asymptomatic disease manifestations which are often neglected. As this zoonosis is reported to cause periodical outbreaks, it is a major public health concern. Although diagnostic facilities are available, they are not accessible in technology-limited settings and are limited to certain hospitals and reference laboratories. This review is about the various methods used for the detection of Leptospirosis and their significance. It highlights the need for an appropriate diagnostic test for the rapid detection of leptospirosis in order to initiate immediate antibiotic therapy.