Immunogenicity of boiled compared with formalized leptospiral vaccines in rabbits, hamsters and humans.

Leptospires (Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona) grown in chemically defined medium were immunogenic when given intradermally in humans if the leptospires were killed with formalin but not if they were boiled. Boiled leptospires were immunogenic for rabbits and hamsters and protected hamsters from challenge infection. On the other hand, boiled leptospires of the biflexa complex, serovar patoc, did retain some immunogenicity in humans, but the antisera did not protect hamsters against challenge with serovar pomona.