Classification of leptospires of the pyrogenes serogroup isolated from cattle in Zimbabwe by cross-agglutinin absorption and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.

Five strains of the genus Leptospira belonging to serogroup Pyrogenes were isolated from cattle slaughtered in Zimbabwe and subjected to cross-agglutinin absorption and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. One strain, SBF 2, represents a new genetic strain of serovar kwale, while another strain, SBF 49, is a new genetic strain closely related to serovar nigeria. Three strains belong to a new serovar for which the name mombe with reference strain SBF 20 is proposed. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis indicated that each of these three strains represents a different restriction polymorphism pattern group.