Akademik

A genus of motile aerobic bacteria (order Spirochaetales) containing thin, tightly coiled organisms 6–20 μm in length. They possess an axial filament, and one or both ends may be bent into a semicircular hook. They stain with difficulty except with Giemsa stain or silver impregnation. Associated with icterohemorrhagic fever. They include 7 pathogens and 3 nonpathogenic species; the type species is L. interrogans. [lepto- + G. speira, a coil]

- L. interrogans a species containing multiple named pathogenic serovars. Causative agent of leptospirosis. It is the type species of the genus L..

lep·to·spi·ra .lep-tō-'spī-rə n

1) cap a genus of extremely slender aerobic spirochetes (family Leptospiraceae) that are free-living or parasitic in mammals and include a number of important pathogens (as L. icterohaemorrhagiae of Weil's disease or L. canicola of canicola fever)

2) pl -ra or -ras or -rae -rē LEPTOSPIRE

a genus of spirochaete bacteria, commonly bearing hooked ends. They are not visible with ordinary light microscopy and are best seen using dark-ground microscopy. The parasitic species L. icterohaemorrhagiae is the main causative agent of Weil's disease (see leptospirosis), but many closely related species cause similar symptoms.