From 228 recent Leptospira isolates from mainland Portugal and Azorean wild
mammals, 149 were characterized at the serovar level by monoclonal antibod
ies (MAbs), a quick serological method in epidemiological studies. In order
to compare this antigenic information with that from new genetic technique
s, a sample of isolates was analyzed through pulsed-field agarose gel elect
rophoresis (PFGE) (n = 71), mapped restriction site polymorphisms (MRSPs) i
n PCR-amplified rRNA genes (n = 45, including 13 saprophytes) and arbitrari
ly primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) fingerprinting (n = 32). MRSP
and AP-PCR lead to species identification of the studied 32 pathogenic isol
ates: Leptospira interrogans (n = 3), Leptospira borgpetersenii (n = 8) and
Leptospira bougpetersenii (n = 21). MAbs and PFGE characterized pathogenic
isolates at the serovar level and resulted mainly in agreement (64%) altho
ugh many discrepancies (35%) were observed. (C) 2000 Federation of European
Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights r
eserved.