Presence of a variety of antigenic variants belonging to at least 4 different serovars in a population of Leptospira interrogans serovar hebdomadis.

The presence of antigenic variants belonging to at least 4 different serovars, jules, kremastos and 2 new serovars, was demonstrated in a population of cloned Leptospira interrogans serovar hebdomadis. Thirteen antigenic variants were isolated from the clone of serovar hebdomadis by culturing in the presence of 13 monoclonal antibodies against 5 serovars, hebdomadis, worsfoldi, kambale, jules and kremastos Kyoto, respectively. These variants were divided into 4 groups, based on the reactivity with the above monoclonal antibodies. Four antigenic variants, one each from the 4 groups, were identified as jules, kremastos and 2 different new serovars. The variation frequency of the 13 antigenic variants ranged from 10(-5.48) to 10(-7.70) except for one, whose frequency was as high as 10(-1.31).