Leptospira interrogans serovar Pomona (L. pomona)

Leptospira interrogans serovar Pomona, commonly referred to as Leptospira pomona, is a pathogenic spirochete bacterium that serves as a primary causative agent of leptospirosis in livestock and humans (NCBI Taxonomy; StatPearls). It is a highly motile, spiral-shaped organism that typically enters the host through mucous membranes or abraded skin and disseminates systemically via the bloodstream (CDC). This specific serovar is frequently associated with infections in cattle, swine, and horses, but it poses a significant zoonotic risk to humans who come into contact with contaminated environments or animal urine (NIH). In humans, the resulting infection can manifest as an acute febrile illness or progress to severe multiorgan failure, including jaundice and renal insufficiency, known as Weil's disease (PubMed). Therapeutically, the organism is addressed using broad-spectrum antibiotics such as doxycycline or beta-lactams, which disrupt bacterial cell wall synthesis or protein translation (StatPearls). Although the organism itself is not a molecular target in the traditional sense, specific components such as its outer membrane proteins (e.g., LipL32) are the focus of drug development and vaccine research (PubMed).

Other names

Leptospira pomonaL. interrogans PomonaLeptospira interrogans Pomona

Antibiotics treat infections caused by this organism by inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis (e.g., Doxycycline via the 30S ribosomal subunit) or inhibiting cell wall peptidoglycan synthesis (e.g., Penicillins).