*5.1.3.1 The microscopic agglutination test (MAT)*

This microscopic agglutination test is developed in Pasteur Institute. Dark field microscopy is required to see agglutination of live leptospires cultures with patient's serum. This is the gold standard test for leptospirosis. It determines the anti-*Leptospira* immunoglobulin titers in human and animal serum at the serogroup level, so it is used for clinical and epidemiological investigations [62]. MAT is performed on micro titration plates, dilutions of serum which is collected from the patient is made and then equal volume of leptospiral culture is added to form agglutinations of distinctive patterns that consist of highly dense packs of partly intact leptospires. The test is read by DFM.
