Abstract
SUMMARY: Leptospires (Leptospira interrogausserovarpomona) 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 thebiflexacomplex, serovarpatoc, did retain some immunogenicity in humans, but the antisera did not protect hamsters against challenge with serovar pomona.