Information about the spirochete Leptospira borgpetersenii?

Question

I'm looking for the morphological and physiological characteristics of this specie of bacteria. I need to know:

- number of endoflagella

- length and diameter in µm

- type of ends in their cells

- if it is possible too cultivate them and how.

- how they infect

- their pathogenesis

Thanks

Answer 1

All leptospires are morphologically similar; species identification is based on genomics.  They are about 0.1 micron wide by 6-20 microns long, sometimes longer.  The ends of the cells are hooked.  The 2001 review "Leptospirosis" by Paul N. Levett, Clin Microbiol Review 14(2):2296-326, gives an excellent overview, including culture:  http://cmr.asm.org/cgi/reprint/14/2/296

Picardeau, Brenot, and Gerons (Molecular Microbiology 40(1):189-199, 2001) discuss endoflagella.