Open research questions in Leptospirosis research and findings
179 gap statements mined from Leptospirosis research and findings papers in our 4.5M-paper local library, which holds 372 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.
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What the literature leaves open
The lack of species-level resolution in conventional diagnostic methods. The need for sensitive and reliable tests to enhance case identification. The limited availability of molecular assays for Leptospira detection in the Philippines.
Retrospective Molecular Detection and Characterization of Pathogenic Leptospira in the Philippines · 2026 · DOIThere is a lack of evidence supporting specific treatments for severe leptospirosis with pulmonary involvement. The use of TPE in severe leptospirosis is not well established. The paper aims to address this gap by exploring the application and outcomes of TPE in patients with severe leptospirosis.
Clinical Experience of Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (TPE) in Severe Leptospirosis: A Case Series from Sri Lanka · 2026 · DOILimited access to diagnostic tools and resources in low-resource tropical areas. Difficulty in identifying the role of owned urban dogs as reservoirs of Leptospira. Challenge of improving awareness and diagnosis of leptospirosis in domestic animals.
High Positivity Rate for Leptospira Infection in Symptomatic Urban Owned Dogs in Guayaquil, Ecuador · 2026 · DOILimited consideration of leptospirosis in the routine laboratory workup of primary CNS infections. Need for laboratory investigations to arrive at the diagnosis of neuroleptospirosis.
Neuroleptospirosis in patients presenting with primary central nervous system infection: A multicentre study · 2026 · DOIThe limitations of the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) have led to a need for alternative diagnostic tools. There is a need to standardize PCR protocols and explore its potential in differentiating Leptospira species and serotypes.
Diagnostic Advances in Leptospirosis: A Comparative Analysis of Paraclinical Tests with a Focus on PCR · 2025 · DOIThe study faced challenges in terms of the limited number of respondents who did not have a primary veterinarian. The paper notes that the number of respondents who reported not having a primary veterinarian does not represent most dog owners. The study also faced challenges in terms of the inconsistent results amongst clinics in prior studies.
Limited healthcare access and high treatment costs delay diagnosis and treatment. Inadequate infrastructure and environmental degradation exacerbate the risks of leptospirosis. The lack of a unified, accessible national registry for leptospirosis and other climate-sensitive diseases hinders real-time monitoring and outbreak detection.
Leptospirosis in the Philippines: Confronting the Structural Roots of a Recurring Threat · 2025 · DOIThe underestimation of the disease burden due to limited surveillance systems. The complexity of the epidemiology of leptospirosis, involving both host-associated stages and free-living environmental phases. The impact of climate change on the geographic spread of leptospirosis.
Immune mechanisms underlying endothelial and placental dysfunction in leptospirosis during pregnancy · 2026 · DOIEnvironmental modeling and spatial epidemiology are underutilized due to limited interdisciplinary data integration and predictive capacity.
Leptospirosis in Southeast Asia: Investigating Seroprevalence, Transmission Patterns, and Diagnostic Challenges · 2026 · DOILimited access to diagnostic and healthcare services in endemic regions. Nonspecific manifestations of leptospirosis that overlap with other infectious diseases. Dependence on specialized instrumentation for real-time PCR.
Hybrid Molecular Lateral Flow Assay Targeting the lipL32 Gene for Rapid and Highly Sensitive Detection of Pathogenic Leptospira · 2026 · DOIThe study was not designed to test limited cross-reactivity between the kit antigen and locally circulating strains, - The test was evaluated in a specific setting in Uganda, - The sample size may not be representative of other…
Evaluation of the Leptocheck-WB IgM Rapid Test for Acute Leptospirosis Among Acute Undifferentiated Fever Patients in Hoima, Western Uganda: Very Low Sensitivity in a Setting Where Non-Icterohaemorrhagiae Leptospira Serogroups Predominate · 2026 · DOIFurther research is needed to understand the limited cross-reactivity between the kit antigen and locally circulating strains, - Evaluation of the Leptocheck-WB in other settings and populations is necessary, - Development of more sensitive and specific diagnostic tests for leptospirosis…
Evaluation of the Leptocheck-WB IgM Rapid Test for Acute Leptospirosis Among Acute Undifferentiated Fever Patients in Hoima, Western Uganda: Very Low Sensitivity in a Setting Where Non-Icterohaemorrhagiae Leptospira Serogroups Predominate · 2026 · DOIDeciphering the precise molecular ligand on Leptospira that is engaged by Clec4d - Further studies to dissect the precise role of neutrophils in the early stage of leptospiral infection - Investigations into host-directed interventions and genetic susceptibility in human…
Leptospiral dissemination is restrained by liver macrophages through Clec4d-driven capture via C/EBPβ activation · 2026 · DOIIsothermal amplification methods such as recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)…
Leptospirosis in Southeast Asia: Investigating Seroprevalence, Transmission Patterns, and Diagnostic Challenges · 2026 · DOIPotential DNA degradation over time could have impacted assay sensitivity and contributed to false-negative results, - The study was limited to archived DNA samples, - Budget constraints limited the sample size, - The study did not include freshly collected…
Retrospective Molecular Detection and Characterization of Pathogenic Leptospira in the Philippines · 2026 · DOILimited diagnostic capacity and underreporting in many endemic areas, - The study was conducted in a specific region (Ecuador), - The sample size…
Further studies to evaluate the performance of the commercial kits in different regions and populations, - Investigation of the kits' ability to detect Leptospira in different sample types…
The study only included dogs with clinical manifestations compatible with leptospirosis, - The sample size was limited to 81 dogs, - The study did not investigate the serovars of Leptospira present…
High Positivity Rate for Leptospira Infection in Symptomatic Urban Owned Dogs in Guayaquil, Ecuador · 2026 · DOILimited diagnostic capacity, - Surveillance challenges, - Scarce research, - Limited access to health care, - Laboratory diagnostic availability and surveillance systems'…
Leptospirosis in the Caribbean Region between 2000 and 2022: A scoping review of morbidity and mortality · 2026 · DOIInvestigate the association between leptospirosis and extreme weather, - Assess the impact of public health interventions, - Describe changes in epidemiological pattern over…
Leptospirosis in the Caribbean Region between 2000 and 2022: A scoping review of morbidity and mortality · 2026 · DOISmall sample size of 35 clinical specimens, - Limited patient demographic and clinical information, - No independent oligonucleotide probe was designed or added, - The study represents an initial evaluation of Hybrid LFA…
Hybrid Molecular Lateral Flow Assay Targeting the lipL32 Gene for Rapid and Highly Sensitive Detection of Pathogenic Leptospira · 2026 · DOISubstantial heterogeneity and lack of harmonization in treatment protocols - Limited evaluation of bacteriological cure in treatment protocols - Regulatory restrictions on the use of certain antimicrobials, such…
No chronological limitations were applied to the search, - Most studies were published before 2000, - Limited recent clinical…
The sample size was small, with only 42 micromammals collected, - The study was limited to a single 15-day campaign, - The study only considered 'invasive' animals, - The data are limited to a specific region…
The number of respondents that reported that they did not have a primary veterinarian does not represent most of these dog owners, - The survey only targeted Los Angeles County communities, - The sample size was limited to 102…
Most-cited papers in Leptospirosis research and findings
- Leptin and reproduction: a review · Fertility and Sterility · 2002 · 393 citations
- The place behind the case: leptospirosis risks and associated environmental conditions in a flood-related outbreak in Rio de Janeiro · Cadernos de Saúde Pública · 2001 · 135 citations
- Leptospirosis—Improving Healthcare Outcomes for a Neglected Tropical Disease · Open Forum Infectious Diseases · 2025 · 53 citations
- Development of Lyophilized Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Reagents for the Detection ofLeptospira · Military Medicine · 2016 · 44 citations
- Concurrent Outbreak of Leptospirosis and Dengue in Mumbai, India, 2002 · Journal of Tropical Pediatrics · 2005 · 44 citations
- Outbreak of leptospirosis among triathlon participants in Langau, Austria, 2010 · Wiener klinische Wochenschrift · 2011 · 43 citations
- Evolutionary insights into the emergence of virulent Leptospira spirochetes · PLoS Pathogens · 2024 · 40 citations
- Simultaneous Detection and Differentiation of Pathogenic and Nonpathogenic Leptospira spp. by Multiplex Real-Time PCR (TaqMan) Assay · Polish Journal of Microbiology · 2010 · 37 citations
- Bovine Genital Leptospirosis: An Update of This Important Reproductive Disease · Animals · 2024 · 34 citations
- Epidemiology of reported cases of leptospirosis in the EU/EEA, 2010 to 2021 · Eurosurveillance · 2024 · 30 citations
Most recent work
- In vitro and in vivo endothelial interactions of Leptospira species are markers of virulence · PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2026
- Leptospirosis in Southeast Asia: Investigating Seroprevalence, Transmission Patterns, and Diagnostic Challenges · Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease · 2026
- Leptospirosis—clinical review and updates on therapeutics · The Lancet Infectious Diseases · 2026
- Spatiotemporal dynamics of leptospirosis in Europe: a retrospective observational study with prospective projections · The Lancet Regional Health - Europe · 2026
- Leptospirosis in the Caribbean Region between 2000 and 2022: A scoping review of morbidity and mortality · PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2026
- Impact of nonpharmaceutical interventions on infectious disease patterns in Yunnan Province across the COVID-19 pandemic phases · BMC Infectious Diseases · 2026
- Spatiotemporal patterns and climate influences on leptospirosis in Sri Lanka from 2009 to 2024 · BMC Infectious Diseases · 2026
- Pathogenic Leptospira species identified in dogs and cats during neutering in Thailand · PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2026
- DMEM and EMEM as alternate growth media for pathogenic Leptospira · PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2026
- Computational identification of natural inhibitors targeting GroEL in Leptospira interrogans: an integrative virtual screening and molecular dynamics approach · Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology · 2026
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