PCR based genetic marker for the detection of Leptospira interrogans causing leptospirosis

Abstract

Leptospirosis caused by Leptospira interrogans is a major health concern across the globe. It presents a wide range of clinical manifestations viz. fever, headache, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. If left untreated, it can lead to fatal complications. The current methods used for leptospirosis diagnosis are based on the detection of L. interrogans. The methods used for routine leptospirosis diagnosis and the agglutination test which is the gold standard method are time consuming and have shortcomings. Molecular methods such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are considered quick, and better in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Keeping in view the importance of PCR in disease diagnosis and pathogen detection the present study is aimed at PCR based detection of Leptospira interrogans using LipL 32 gene specific primers. The primers used in this study amplified partial region of the LipL32 gene under specific conditions. The DNA amplicon of 392 bp confirmed partial amplification of LipL32 gene and showed no homology with any other organism when checked by BLAST. This method seems to be quick, specific and more sensitive as compared to other conventional methods.