Leptospira
| Leptospira | |
|---|---|
| Scanning electron micrograph of Leptospira interrogans | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Bacteria |
| Kingdom: | Pseudomonadati |
| Phylum: | Spirochaetota |
| Class: | Spirochaetia |
| Order: | Leptospirales |
| Family: | Leptospiraceae |
| Genus: | Leptospira Noguchi 1917 non Swainson 1840 non Boucot, Johnson & Staton 1964 |
| Type species | |
| Leptospira interrogans (Stimson 1907) Wenyon 1926 | |
| Species | |
|
See text | |
Leptospira (from Ancient Greek λεπτός (leptós) 'fine, thin, narrow, etc.' and Latin spira 'coil') is a genus of spirochaete bacteria, including a small number of pathogenic and saprophytic species. Leptospira was first observed in 1907 in kidney tissue slices of a leptospirosis victim who was described as having died of "yellow fever".