Trace Elements and Reproduction of Leptospirae

Abstract

Summary. Low concentrations of Zn and Co salts in the medium stimulated growth of several strains of 2 species of Leptospira, but high concentrations inhibited growth. Low concentrations of Cu increased the growth rate of saprophytic leptospirae but did not affect parasitic strains; high concentrations inhibited all strains. In a Zn‐containing medium, the addition of increasing amounts of Cd was increasingly inhibitory to both speeies. The addition of 0·2 × 10−6 gof Zn(NO3)2. 6H2O and 10−9 gofCoSO4. 7H2O/ml of Korthof's medium is recommended. Saprophytic leptospirae grow better with 10−6g of CoSO4. 5H2O/ml of medium.

Micronutrients and Leptospirosis: A Review of the Current Evidence

“…Another study was conducted to examine the effects of various mineral concentrations on leptospire growth; lower zinc and cobalt concentrations (0.2 x 10 −6 g and 0.2 x 10 −9 g, respectively) stimulated leptospiral growth, while higher concentrations of these minerals inhibited growth and resulted in toxicity [ 77 , 78 ]. However, in another experiment on trace minerals and leptospire growth in ten different strains, zinc nitrate significantly increased growth in all strains; the optical density of Leptospira naam naam increased from 0.38 to 0.49 (log(OD)/hour; t = 15.07, p = 0.001) [ 79 ].…”