Differentiation of pathogenic and saprophytic leptospira

In the last decade, it has been possible to offer convincing, seemingly test-tube tests that make it possible to distinguish museum parasitic strains of Leptospira from saprophytic ones by their hemolytic, oxidase and lipase activity, as well as by the ability of saprophytes (to reproduce in nutrient media without normal rabbit serum or in the presence of a certain concentration of sulfuric acid copper, in contrast to parasites, which do not reproduce in such conditions.The above results at one time served as the basis for the international subcommittee on taxonomy and nomenclature of leptospira to divide spirochetes of this genus into parasites and saprophytes. saprophytic properties Almost all attempts to differentiate leptospira using test tube tests were carried out in relation to sets of strains representing different serotypes, each of which was represented by one strain. in a comparative study of many differentiation tests with respect to the same strains of Leptospira. We were especially interested in the serotypes of Leptospira, represented by a homologous series of strains of various origins.