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. 1967 Jul;94(1):27–31. doi: 10.1128/jb.94.1.27-31.1967

Differentiation of Pathogenic and Saprophytic Leptospires I. Growth at Low Temperatures

Russell C Johnson 1, Virginia G Harris 1
PMCID: PMC251866  PMID: 6027998

Abstract

The minimal growth temperature of the pathogenic leptospires is between 13 and 15 C. The saprophytic leptospires have a minimal growth temperature between 5 and 10 C, or approximately 5 C below that of the pathogens. The capability of the saprophytic leptospires to grow at temperatures below those which allow the growth of the pathogenic leptospires provides a simple method of discrimination. With an inoculum yielding approximately 8 × 107 cells per ml in the test medium and an incubation temperature of 13 C, the saprophytic leptospires were easily differentiated from the pathogenic leptospires. All 13 saprophytic leptospires tested grew in the 10% rabbit serum medium at 13 C, whereas none of the 20 pathogens grew during the 30-day incubation period.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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