Figure 1.

Leptospira interrogans strain K37 infection causes sudden onset of jaundice and cholestasis-type abnormality of serum chemistries. (a) Relative body weight and survival of uninfected hamsters (n = 3, grey) or hamsters subcutaneously infected with L. interrogans strain K37 (n = 6, black). (b) Serum total bilirubin concentrations of uninfected (n = 6) or infected hamsters at seventh (n = 4), eighth (n = 8) or ninth (n = 6) day postinoculation. Horizontal dashed line indicates 3 mg/dl to distinguish pre-icteric and icteric phase. Horizontal bars indicate the mean. (c,d) Serum measurements of uninfected hamsters (n = 6) and infected hamsters, which were divided into two groups (pre-icteric phase; n = 10 and icteric phase; n = 8) according to serum bilirubin concentration. (c) Serum concentrations of direct and indirect bilirubin. (d) Serum concentrations of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GTP). Data are shown as the mean ± SD. Statistical significance is shown by *P < 0.05 as determined by Welch's t-test.