Serological Investigations of Leptospiral Deoxyribonucleases

Enzymoserological comparison of a selection of leptospira strains tested with sera from rabbits immunized with unpurified DNase of Leptospira interrogans, serotype canicola, indicates the production of DNase of serologically very similar properties by the serotypes canicola, autumnalis, icterohemorrhagiae and pomona. The DNase produced by serotype hyos was serologically different from the others, while the serotypes grippotyphosa and bataviae did not produce DNases at all. The method used made it possible to differentiate between leptospiral DNase and normally occurring DNases in the serum samples. Neither leptospira DNase nor specific leptospira-DNase-antibodies could be detected in dog sera with high agglutinationlysis titres after natural infection.