OIE Reference Laboratory Reports
Activities in 2011
Name of disease (or topic) for
which you are a designated OIE
Reference Laboratory:
Address of laboratory:
Leptospirosis
39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains
Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services,
Archerfield, Queensland, 4108,
AUSTRALIA
Tel.:
(61 7) 3274 9064
Fax:
(61 7) 3274 9175
e-mail address:
website:
Lee_Smythe@health.qld.gov.au
http://www.health.qld.gov.au/qhcss/lepto.asp
Name (including Title and
Position) of Head of Laboratory
(Responsible Official):
Greg Shaw – Senior Director,
Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific
Services.
Name(including Title and
Position) of OIE Reference
Expert:
Lee Smythe, Managing Scientist,
Communicable Disease and Director of the
WHO/FAO/OIE Collaborating Center for
Reference and Research on Leptospirosis,
Western Pacific Region.
Name (including Title and
Position) of writer of this report
(if different from above):
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
As above
1
Leptospirosis
Part I: Summary of general activities related to the disease
1.
2.
Test(s) in use/or available for the specified disease/topic at your laboratory
Test
For
Specificity
Total
Microscopic Agglutination
Test (21 serovars)
Antibody
Serovar
1200
Production and distribution of diagnostic reagents
Centres overseas and locally were supplied with panels of media, antisera or cultures to facilitate development of a
leptospirosis diagnostic capability or as part of routine laboratory services. Materials were sent to New Zealand
and throughout Australia.
Part II: Activities specifically related to the mandate
of OIE Reference Laboratories
3.
International harmonisation and standardisation of methods for diagnostic testing or the
production and testing of vaccines
The reference laboratory maintained accreditation in the following:
 Co-organiser for a workshop on the Diagnosis of Leptospirosis at the National Institute of Animal Health,
Bangkok, Thailand 18-20 May 2011. Funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry,
Commonwealth Government, Australia.
 Participation as a specialist issuing and review laboratory for Leptospirosis as part of the 2011 Australasian
Royal College of Pathologists Quality Assurance Program (RCPA-QAP)
 Participant in the 2011 Australian National Quality Assurance Program (ANQAP) for the AHC Sub
Committee of Animal Health Laboratory Standards, Leptospirosis Component.
a)
Establishment and maintenance of a network with other OIE Reference Laboratories
designated for the same pathogen or disease and organisation of regular inter-laboratory
proficiency testing to ensure comparability of results
The reference laboratory continued participation as a specialist issuing and review laboratory for
Leptospirosis as part of the 2011 Australasian Royal College of Pathologists Quality Assurance Program
(RCPA-QAP). This component of the program provides external proficiency testing in leptospirosis for
laboratories in Australia, New Zealand and other countries.
b)
Organisation of inter-laboratory proficiency testing with laboratories other than OIE
Reference Laboratories for the same pathogens and diseases to ensure equivalence of
results
Participation continued in the International MAT Proficiency Testing Scheme conducted through the
International Leptospirosis Society. This program provides an opportunity for global continuous quality
improvement in leptospirosis serology for participating laboratories.
Participation as a specialist issuing and review laboratory for Leptospirosis as part of the 2011 Australasian
Royal College of Pathologists Quality Assurance Program (RCPA-QAP)
2
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
Leptospirosis
4.
Preparation and supply of international reference standards for diagnostic tests or vaccines
Centres overseas and locally were supplied with panels of media, antisera or cultures to facilitate development of a
leptospirosis diagnostic capability or as part of routine laboratory services. The reference laboratory provided
isolate identification for laboratories worldwide.
5.
6.
Research and development of new procedures for diagnosis and control

Craig SB, Lau CC, Tulsiani SM, Graham GC, Smythe LD. (2011). Leptospirosis. Australian Family Physcian.
40, 1/2: 9.

Tulsiani SM, Cobbold RN, Graham GC, Dohnt MF, Burns MA, Leung LKP, Field HE, Smythe LD, Craig SB.
(2011). The role of fruit bats in the transmission of pathogenic leptospires in Australia. Annals of Tropical
Medicine & Parasitology. 105, 1: 71–84

Tulsiani SM, Graham GC, Dohnt MF, Burns MA, Craig SB. (2011). Maximizing the chances of detecting
pathogenic leptospires in mammals: the evaluation of field samples and a multi-sample-per-mammal, multitest approach. Annals of Tropical Medicine & Parasitology. 105, 2: 145–162.

Tulsiani SM, Graham GC, Craig SB. (2011). Attenuation in Leptospira strain collections. Veterinary
Microbiology. 148: 453–454.
Collection, analysis and dissemination of epizootiological data relevant to international disease
control
The reference laboratory collected national surveillance data through the use of questionnaires. This surveillance
program has been in operation since 1992 and will continue to provide this service. In 2011 hard and electronic
copies of annual surveillance reports were made available to a range of agencies. Surveillance data was also made
available from the reference laboratory website.
7.
Maintenance of a system of quality assurance, biosafety and biosecurity relevant to the
pathogen and the disease concerned
 Compliance with National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia ISO/IEC 17025 (1999)
 Compliance with National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia AS/NZSISO 9001 (2000)
 Information on methodology or general information was supplied to a range of countries in 2011. The staff of
the reference laboratory continued to provide expert technical advice to investigators and health authorities
both locally and overseas.
8.
Provision of consultant expertise to OIE or to OIE Member Countries
Co–organiser and participant in a workshop on the “Diagnosis of Leptospirosis” at the National Institute of
Animal Health, Bangkok, Thailand 18-20May 2011. Funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and
Forestry, Commonwealth Government, Australia. The workshop encompassed serological methods for detection,
molecular biology methods for detection and typing and culture methods and laboratory quality assurance applied
to leptospirosis testing in diagnostic and reference laboratories. Surveillance, veterinary and public health issues
for management of leptospirosis, genomics and pathogenesis of leptospirosis, vaccines for leptospirosis were also
part of the workshop.
9.
Provision of scientific and technical training to personnel from other OIE Member Countries
Training of two staff from the National Institute of Animal Health, Bangkok, Thailand in June 2011. The training
encompassed serological methods for detection, molecular biology methods for detection and typing and culture
methods for isolation.
Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011
3
Leptospirosis
10. Provision of diagnostic testing facilities to other OIE Member Countries
Testing and isolate identification services were provided for New Zealand, Fiji, Thailand and Australia.
11. Organisation of international scientific meetings on behalf of OIE or other international bodies
Co–organiser of a workshop on the diagnosis of leptospirosis at the National Institute of Animal Health, Bangkok,
Thailand 18-20 May 2011. Funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Commonwealth
Government, Australia. The workshop encompassed serological methods for detection, molecular biology methods
for detection and typing and culture methods and laboratory quality assurance applied to leptospirosis testing in
diagnostic and reference laboratories. Surveillance, veterinary and public health issues for management of
leptospirosis, genomics and pathogenesis of leptospirosis, vaccines for leptospirosis were also part of the
workshop.
12. Participation in international scientific collaborative studies
As per publications listed within this report.
13. Publication and dissemination of information relevant to the work of OIE (including list of
scientific publications, internet publishing activities, presentations at international conferences)

Presentations at international conferences and meetings
Workshop on the Diagnosis of Leptospirosis at the National Institute of Animal Health, Bangkok, Thailand 18-20
May 2011. Presentation title: Functions and roles of reference laboratories and Antibody based methods for typing
of leptospiral isolates

Scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals

Agampodi SB, Peacock SJ, Thevanesam V, Nugegoda DB, Smythe L, Thaipadungpanit J, Craig SB,
Burns MA, Dohnt M, Boonsilp S, Senaratne T, Kumara A, Palihawadana P, Perera S, Vinetz JM.
(2011). Leptospirosis Outbreak in Sri Lanka in 2008: Lessons for Assessing the Global Burden of
Disease. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 85, 3: 471-478.

Craig SB, Lau CC, Tulsiani SM, Graham GC, Smythe LD. (2011). Leptospirosis. Australian Family
Physcian. 40, 1/2: 9.

Subharat S, Wilson P R, Heuer C, Collins-Emerson J M, Smythe L D, Dohnt M F, Craig S B, Burns M
A. (2011). Serosurvey of leptospirosis and investigation of a possible novel serovar Arborea in farmed
deer in New Zealand. New Zealand Veterinary Journal. 59, 3: 139-142.

Tulsiani SM, Cobbold RN, Graham GC, Dohnt MF, Burns MA, Leung LKP, Field HE, Smythe LD,
Craig SB. (2011). The role of fruit bats in the transmission of pathogenic leptospires in Australia.
Annals of Tropical Medicine & Parasitology. 105, 1: 71–84

Tulsiani SM, Graham GC, Dohnt MF, Burns MA, Craig SB. (2011). Maximizing the chances of
detecting pathogenic leptospires in mammals: the evaluation of field samples and a multi-sample-permammal, multi-test approach. Annals of Tropical Medicine & Parasitology. 105, 2: 145–162.

Tulsiani SM, Graham GC, Craig SB. (2011). Attenuation in Leptospira strain collections. Veterinary
Microbiology. 148: 453–454.
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Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011