钩端螺旋体病是一种由致病性钩端螺旋体感染引起的人畜共患病。研究发现，致病性钩端螺旋体具有独特的基因组结构，可分为不同的血清型或基因组种。钩端螺旋体的传播受菌株、宿主免疫力以及环境等多种因素的影响。钩端螺旋体具有强大的侵袭力及多种毒力因子，并可诱导宿主产生免疫病理损伤，从而引起不同的临床表现。由于缺少用于钩端螺旋体操作的基因工具，因而人们对钩端螺旋体的致病机制仍所知甚少。准确的早期诊断方法有利于钩端螺旋体病的治疗，而安全、高效的疫苗则是预防钩端螺旋体病的最好方法。

 Leptospirosis is a zoonosis caused by infection with pathogenic Leptospira species. The studies have suggested that pathogenic leptospires possess unique structure of genome,and are classified into different serovars or genomospecies. Transmission of leptospirosis is affected by a number of aspects,including the strain,the host immunity, and the environment. Pathogenic leptospires with many virulent factors have strong invasiveness, and can induce immunopathological damages in host, causing a diversity of clinical manifestations. The pathogenesis of leptospires is known very little, due mainly to the absence of genetic tools for the manipulation of leptospires. Earlier and accurate diagnosis can be helpful to treat leptospirosis. The safe and effective vaccine is the best method for prevention of leptospirosis.