Leptospirosis: a clinical and diagnostic challenge
- PMID: 38719252
- PMCID: PMC11085900
- DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2023-256905
Leptospirosis: a clinical and diagnostic challenge
Abstract
We present the case of a man in his early 50s who presented with a history of fever, malaise and jaundice. Initial investigations showed liver and renal dysfunction with no discernible cause for the septic process. On starting intravenous antibiotics, the patient developed a septic-shock-like reaction requiring transfer to intensive care. A diagnosis of leptospirosis was eventually established through an extensive and thorough history leading to a stepwise approach to investigations. Treatment targeting leptospirosis was delivered with noticeable clinical improvement.
Keywords: Acute renal failure; Infectious diseases; Liver disease; Medical management; Pneumonia (respiratory medicine).
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
Conflict of interest statement
Competing interests: None declared.
Similar articles
-
Case Report: Recovery of Pathogenic Leptospira spp. from Routine Aerobic Blood Culture Bottles.Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2020 Nov;103(5):1834-1837. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-0204. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2020. PMID: 32748775 Free PMC article.
-
Acute pancreatitis and vasoplegic shock associated with leptospirosis - a case report and review of the literature.BMC Infect Dis. 2019 May 8;19(1):395. doi: 10.1186/s12879-019-4040-1. BMC Infect Dis. 2019. PMID: 31068145 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Leptospirosis in New Orleans.Am J Med Sci. 2014 Feb;347(2):159-63. doi: 10.1097/MAJ.0b013e3182787068. Am J Med Sci. 2014. PMID: 23296261 Review.
-
Successful treatment of septic shock and respiratory failure due to leptospirosis and scrub typhus coinfection with penicillin, levofloxacin, and activated protein C.J Microbiol Immunol Infect. 2012 Jun;45(3):251-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jmii.2011.09.015. Epub 2011 Dec 6. J Microbiol Immunol Infect. 2012. PMID: 22153761
-
Leptospirosis presenting as atypical pneumonia, respiratory failure and pyogenic meningitis.J Infect. 1993 Nov;27(3):281-3. doi: 10.1016/0163-4453(93)92155-p. J Infect. 1993. PMID: 8308321
References
-
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control . Leptospirosis. In: ECDC. Annual Epidemiological Report for 2021. Stockholm: ECDC, 2023.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical