Hemorragia alveolar en síndrome febril tropical: reporte de caso de leptospirosis con compromiso pulmonar / Alveolar hemorrhage in febril-tropical syndrome: case report of leptospirosis with lung commitment

Resumen La leptospirosis en una enfermedad infecciosa importante en el diagnóstico diferencial de un paciente con síndrome ictérico hemorrágico, especialmente en países de ubicación tropical como Colombia. A continuación, se presenta el caso de un paciente masculino de 21 años, con cuadro clínico agudo caracterizado por presencia de fiebre y elevación de bilirrubinas, asociado a diarrea y trombocitopenia. Inicialmente se hizo diagnóstico presuntivo de dengue, sin embargo, durante su evolución presentó hemorragia y dificultad respiratoria asociada a secreción hemática con necesidad de intubación endotraqueal, por lo que se solicitó serologia IgM seriada de leptospira pensando en esta entidad como diagnóstico diferencial luego de indagar antecedentes epidemiológicos, la cual tuvo reporte positivo. Es importante conocer este tipo de casos debido a la presentación de compromiso pulmonar como una manifestación rara pero altamente asociada a mortalidad. Finalmente, con manejo de soporte y antibiótico adecuado se obtuvo una buena evolución clínica de este paciente.

Abstract Leptospirosis is a relevant infectious disease when there is a patient with an ictero-hemorrhagic syndrome, especially in tropical countries such as Colombia. The following is the case of a 21-year-old male patient, with an acute clinical picture given by fever, elevated bilirubin, associated with diarrhea and thrombocytopenia. Initially, a presumptive diagnosis of dengue was made. However, during his evolution, he presented hemorrhage and respiratory distress with a hematic secretion that required endotracheal intubation. After inquiring about the epidemiological data, leptospirosis was considered a differential diagnosis. Serial serology for leptospira IgM was requested and was positive. It is essential to know this type of case due to pulmonary affections as a rare manifestation but highly associated with mortality. Finally, with adequate antibiotic and supportive management, a good clinical evolution of this patient was obtained.

Hemorragia alveolar pulmonar como presentación poco frecuente de infección por Leptospira spp: una enfermedad ocupacional del personal militar en zonas tropicales / Pulmonary alveolar hemorrhage as an unusual presentation of Leptospira spp: an occupational-disease of military personnel in tropical zones

Resumen La leptospirosis es una de las zoonosis endémicas más importantes en el mundo con un aumento de la incidencia en los últimos años. En el personal militar podría ser catalogada como una enfermedad ocupacional dado sus actividades específicas en áreas rurales. Su presentación clínica es variable siendo en la mayoría de los casos una enfermedad febril autolimitada. De acuerdo con diversos factores dependientes del patógeno y del hospedero pueden presentarse manifestaciones severas de la enfermedad dentro de la cual destaca el compromiso pulmonar con una alta tasa de mortalidad. Existe evidencia del uso de esteroide sistémico como parte del tratamiento de esta complicación. Presentamos el caso de un paciente joven, militar, que debuta con síndrome de hemorragia alveolar difusa secundario a leptospirosis y presenta una excelente respuesta al tratamiento con altas dosis de metilprednisolona, con una discusión del proceso diagnóstico y aspectos fisiopatológicos de esta condición.

Leptospirosis is one of the most important endemic zoonoses in the world with an increase in incidence in recent years. In military personnel it could be classified as an occupational disease given their specific activities in rural areas. Its clinical presentation is variable being in most cases a self-limited febrile disease. According to various factors dependent on the pathogen and the host, severe manifestations of the disease may occur within which the pulmonary involvement with a high mortality rate stands out. There is evidence of systemic steroid use as part of the treatment of this complication. We present a case of a young, military patient who debuts with diffuse alveolar hemorrhage syndrome secondary to leptospirosis and presents an excellent response to treatment with high doses of methylprednisolone, with a discussion of the diagnostic process and pathophysiological aspects of this condition.

Caracterización clínica de la leptospirosis grave en un hospital de alta complejidad de Cali, Colombia, 2010-2016 / Clinical characterization of patients with severe leptospirosis in a tertiary hospital in Cali, Colombia, 2010-2016

Resumen Introducción. La leptospirosis es una infección bacteriana endémica en Colombia. Su curso clínico puede ser variable y, en ocasiones, fatal. Hay pocos estudios en el país sobre los casos graves de esta enfermedad. Objetivo. Describir las características demográficas y clínicas de los pacientes con diagnóstico de leptospirosis grave hospitalizados en salas generales o atendidos en la unidad de cuidados intensivos de un hospital de cuarto nivel. Materiales y métodos. Se llevó a cabo un estudio observacional descriptivo de los pacientes adultos y niños con diagnóstico serológico de leptospirosis entre el 2010 y el 2016. Resultados. Se analizaron las historias clínicas de 87 pacientes, 74 % de los cuales correspondía a hombres y, el 84 %, a mayores de 18 años. El 35 % tenía alguna comorbilidad y la hipertensión arterial sistémica (16 %) y la diabetes mellitus (9 %) fueron las más comunes. Los síntomas más frecuentes fueron: fiebre, náuseas, astenia, mialgias, artralgias y dolor abdominal. El 34 % requirió atención en la unidad de cuidados intensivos, con una mediana de estancia de 5 días. El 61 % requirió hospitalización en sala general, con una mediana de estancia de 6 días. Todos los casos recibieron tratamiento antibiótico con ceftriaxona o doxiciclina. La tasa de letalidad fue del 1,1 % (n=1). Conclusiones. La infección por Leptospira spp. tiene el riesgo de diagnosticarse de manera tardía por su presentación clínica inespecífica, lo que implica considerar un gran número de diagnósticos diferenciales. La atención temprana de los pacientes con cuadros graves de esta enfermedad en la unidad de cuidados intensivos, puede evitar una mayor incidencia de complicaciones y disminuir la mortalidad.

Abstract Introduction: Leptospirosis is an endemic bacterial infection in Colombia. Its clinical course can be variable and occasionally fatal. There are few studies in the country about severe cases of leptospirosis. Objectives: To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with a diagnosis of leptospirosis, and their management in a high complexity hospital. Materials and methods: This was a descriptive retrospective study of patients with a serologic diagnosis of leptospirosis between 2010 and 2016. Results: We analyzed 87 patients, 74% of them were men, and 84% were older than 18 years; 35% had a comorbidity, the most common being arterial hypertension (16%) and diabetes mellitus (9%). The most frequent symptoms were fever, nausea, fatigue, myalgia, arthralgia, and abdominal pain. The majority of patients required hospitalization in general wards (61%), with a median stay of six days; 34% required management in the intensive care unit, with a median stay of five days. Mortality was 1.1% (n=1). All patients received treatment with either ceftriaxone or doxycycline. Conclusions: There is a risk of leptospira infections having a late diagnosis given their unspecific clinical presentation, which generates a high number of differential diagnoses. The early management in the intensive care unit could decrease the incidence of complications and the mortality of patients with leptospirosis.

Afectación pancreática en infección por leptospirosis / Pancreatic involvement in leptospirosis infection

La leptospirosis en fase ictérica o enfermedad de Weil es una vasculitis zoonótica endémica de la Costa ecuatoriana. Sin embargo, la pancreatitis aguda como parte de esta entidad es una complicación rara vez documentada. En este reporte de caso se presenta a un adulto varón de 63 años con signos de falla multiorgánica y amilasa con rápido ascenso inicial. La leptospirosis no fue tomada como primera opción diagnóstica. El paciente fue tratado debido a un cuadro de SDRA como un shock séptico de foco pulmonar, con falla renal aguda que requirió hemodiálisis, permaneciendo en UCI con antibioticoterapia empírica. El objetivo de este caso es remarcar que la leptospirosis debe siempre estar considerada en el diagnóstico diferencial de ictericia y pancreatitis, sobre todo en nuestro medio.

The icteric presentation of Leptospirosis, also known as Weil's disease, is a zoonotic vasculitis endemic to Ecuador's coastal region. However, reports of pancreatic affection due to this entity are rarely documented. We chose to present the case of a 63 years old male with signs of catastrophic organic failure, associated with a rapid increase in serum amylase concentrations. Due to this presentation, Leptospirosis was not held as the primary culprit of the disease, and was treated at the ICU as septic shock of pulmonary origin with ARDS associated with acute kidney injury that required hemodialysis. Thus this case aims to highlight the importance of Leptospirosis as an important differential diagnosis in any patient hailing from a tropical region with jaundice and pancreatitis.

Hemorragia digestiva e insuficiencia hepática aguda por leptospirosis: una entidad que no debemos olvidar / Gastrointestinal bleeding and acute hepatic failure by leptospirosis: an entity that should not be forgotten

La leptospirosis es una enfermedad causada por la espiroqueta Leptospira. Se trata de una zoonosis de distribución mundial, con predominio en los trópicos. En España no es frecuente pero sí se observan casos en zonas más húmedas o con presencia de ríos, lagos o estanques, como son Cataluña, Andalucía o la Comunidad Valenciana, donde se relaciona con los arrozales. Los transmisores son múltiples animales como vacas o ratas, contagiándose el ser humano mediante contacto directo con estos animales o su orina, o bien de forma indirecta al consumir o estar en contacto con agua contaminada por la orina de éstos. Las manifestaciones clínicas son muy variables, siendo asintomática o poco sintomática en la mayoría de los pacientes. Aunque no ocurre siempre, la leptospirosis cursa con una primera fase con fiebre, mialgias, afectación renal o hemorragia de distintos órganos, seguida de una segunda fase con presencia de ictericia por afectación hepática. La enfermedad de Weil es una forma de leptospirosis grave caracterizada por afectación hepática con ictericia e insuficiencia renal aguda, asociada a una considerable mortalidad. El diagnóstico se basa en técnicas serológicas y detección de DNA mediante PCR. El tratamiento consta de medidas de soporte y antibioticoterapia. Presentamos un paciente con enfermedad de Weil y hemorragia digestiva por leptospirosis, con una evolución clínica fulminante, y hacemos hincapié en la necesidad de tener presente esta entidad, especialmente en ambientes epidemiológicos favorables como el de este paciente, con el fin de lograr un diagnóstico precoz.

Leptospirosis disease is caused by the spirochete Leptospira. It is a worldwide distribution zoonosis, with predominance in the tropics. In Spain, it is not frequent but some cases have been noticed especially in humid areas surrounded by rivers, lakes or ponds, such as Catalonia, Andalucia or the Valencian Community. It is transmitted by a variety of animals such as cows or rats, that are infected either by direct contact with these animals or their urine, or indirectly by consuming or being in contact with water contaminated by their urine. The clinical manifestations are very variable, being asymptomatic or not very symptomatic in most of the patients. Unusually, leptospirosis presents with a first phase with fever, myalgias, liver injury or different organs hemorrhage, followed by a second phase with the presence of jaundice due to hepatic failure. Weil's disease is a kind of severe leptospirosis characterized by hepatic failure with jaundice and acute renal failure, associated with high mortality rates. The diagnosis is based on serological techniques and DNA detection by PCR. The treatment consists of life support measures and antibiotic therapy. A patient with Weil's disease and leptospirosis digestive bleeding is presented, with a fulminant clinical course. In order to achieve an early diagnosis, the need to keep this entity in mind must be emphasized, especially in favorable epidemiological environments as the one of this patient.

Leptospirosis among the self-supporting convicts of Andaman Island during the 1920s - the first report on pulmonary haemorrhage in leptospirosis.

Several researchers had carried out investigations on the possibility of existence of Weil’s disease in Andaman Islands during early 20th century. The first report of a series of confirmed cases of leptospirosis that occurred during1929 was published in 1931.There were several reports during 1995 to 2009 that described detailed account of leptospirosis including various clinical syndromes. The possibility of pulmonary involvement in leptospirosis being a manifestation historically overlooked rather than newly emerged during the past two decades is examined in this review in the context of Andaman Islands. Two case series of leptospirosis, one occurred in 1929 and the other in 1996-1997 were reviewed with special emphasis on pulmonary involvement and haemorrhagic manifestations. The similarities and differences in the clinical profile of patients of the two case series were analysed. The review shows that respiratory system involvement and pulmonary haemorrhage as evidenced by presence of haemoptysis as a complication of leptospirosis was occurring during 1920s in Andaman Islands. The incidence of pulmonary involvement, however, rose from 9.4 per cent during 1929 to 52 per cent in 1996-1997. The case fatality ratio in patients with pulmonary involvement, which was 50 per cent during 1929 and 42.9 per cent during 1996-1997, was higher than that in cases without pulmonary involvement.Fever, conjunctival congestion, jaundice, vomiting, diarrhoea, hepatomagaly, haemoptysis, haematemesis and subconjunctival haemorrhage were common in both series. The case series in Andaman Islands in 1929 was probably the first report of pulmonary haemorrhage as a manifestation of leptospirosis. The increase in the incidence of pulmonary involvement in leptospirosis in the recent past is probably due to the increase in the density and diversityof its animal vectors,the broadening of the range of circulating serovars and the interactions between the vector and the agent. An increased virulence of Leptospira through gene acquisition and loss on an evolutionary time scale and the resulting change in the gene content, gene order and gene expression cannot be ruled out.

Atypical Presentation of Multiorgan Failure Leptospirosis (Weil’s Disease) without Fever.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of sporadic occurrence caused by bacteria that belongs to the genus Leptospira. Here we report a case of rare form of leptospirosis with multiorgan failure called Weil’s disease. This patient did not have a fever which is the most common presentation of leptospirosis.

A rare case of Weil's disease with alveolar haemorrhage

Leptospirosis, a disease of protean manifestations occurs sporadically throughout the year with a peak seasonal incidence during the rainy season mimicking other febrile viral illness. In the rare case, the disease leads to renal and hepatic involvement with hemorrhage which may be associated with multisystem organ dysfunction in form of pulmonary, cardiac and central nervous system, when it is known as Weil's disease. Rarely haemorrhagic manifestations are assosciated. Early diagnosis is important as sometimes the disease may be life threatening. Proper antibiotics results in dramatic improvement. We hereby presented a case that had clinical features of Weil's disease with cough, dyspnoea and haemoptysis. Leptospirosis was detected on ELISA testing. Patient was cured rapidly with antibiotics.

A rare case of Weil’s disease with alveolar haemorrhage

Leptospirosis, a disease of protean manifestations occurs sporadically throughout the year with a peak seasonal incidence during the rainy season mimicking other febrile viral illness. In the rare case, the disease leads to renal and hepatic involvement with hemorrhage which may be associated with multisystem organ dysfunction in form of pulmonary, cardiac and central nervous system, when it is known as Weil’s disease. Rarely haemorrhagic manifestations are assosciated. Early diagnosis is important as sometimes the disease may be life threatening. Proper antibiotics results in dramatic improvement. We hereby presented a case that had clinical features of Weil’s disease with cough, dyspnoea and haemoptysis. Leptospirosis was detected on ELISA testing. Patient was cured rapidly with antibiotics.

Prevalencia de leptospirosis en perros vagos capturados en la ciudad de Temuco, 2011 / Prevalence of leptospirosis in vague dogs captured in Temuco city, 2011

Background: Leptospirosis, a bacterial disease of worldwide distribution, affects various animals and is considered a zoonosis. It can be transmitted directly or indirectly, mainly through contact with the carrier's urine and entering the body through mucous membranes or skin. In the city of Temuco, there are no epidemiological studies of canine leptospirosis and the country data are scarce. Objective: To determine the prevalence of leptospirosis in stray dogs of the city of Temuco. Material and Methods: In a cross- sectional study, 400 dogs admitted to Temuco Kennel during the year 2011 were sampled. Blood samples were analyzed using a modified commercial ELISA kit. Results: The prevalence of leptospirosis was 21.3%. Positive cases were concentrated in dogs 5 to 8 years of age, independent of gender. Discussion: The high prevalence found demonstrates the need for further studies to better understand the epidemiology of the disease and to establish prevention and control measures.

Introducción: La leptospirosis es una enfermedad bacteriana de distribución mundial, afecta a diversos animales y es considerada una zoonosis. Puede transmitirse de manera directa o indirecta, principalmente por contacto con orina de un animal portador, ingresando al organismo a través de las mucosas o la piel reblandecida por la humedad. En la ciudad de Temuco no existen estudios epidemiológicos de leptospirosis canina y los datos en el país son escasos. Objetivo: Realizar un estudio de corte transversal, para determinar la prevalencia de leptospiro-sis en perros vagos de la ciudad de Temuco. Material y Métodos: Se procuró muestras de un total de 400 perros ingresados al Canil Temuco durante el año 2011. Se recolectaron muestras de sangre para luego ser analizadas mediante un kit comercial de ELISA modificado. Resul- encontrada demuestra la necesidad de mayores estudios tados: La prevalencia de leptospirosis en perros vagos de tendientes a comprender mejor la epidemiología de la la ciudad de Temuco fue 21,3%. La mayoría de los casos enfermedad y poder establecer medidas de prevención positivos se concentran en perros de 5 a 8 años de edad y control que eviten el riesgo de exposición del hombre e independiente del sexo. Discusión: La alta prevalencia a esta zoonosis.

A Case of Weil's Disease associated with Acute Pancreatitis / 감염과화학요법

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of worldwide distribution that is caused by spirochetes known as Leptospira; more than 20 serogroups and more than 200 serovars are known. The disease has seasonal incidence occurring in the late summer or early fall. The typical severe case of leptospirosis is known as Weil's disease; it is characterized by hepatic and renal involvement and is common in Korea. Elevated amylase can be seen when ARF is associated but true acute pancreatitis is an uncomon complication of leptospirosis and only seven cases of well documented pancreatitis have been described abroad, with there was no case report in Korea yet. We experienced a 55-year old male patient who had Weil's disease associated with acute pancreatitis which was confirmed by elevated amylase and lipase with pancreatic swelling and peripancreatic fat infiltration on abdomen CT.

A Case of Weil's Disease associated with Acute Pancreatitis / 감염과화학요법

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of worldwide distribution that is caused by spirochetes known as Leptospira; more than 20 serogroups and more than 200 serovars are known. The disease has seasonal incidence occurring in the late summer or early fall. The typical severe case of leptospirosis is known as Weil's disease; it is characterized by hepatic and renal involvement and is common in Korea. Elevated amylase can be seen when ARF is associated but true acute pancreatitis is an uncomon complication of leptospirosis and only seven cases of well documented pancreatitis have been described abroad, with there was no case report in Korea yet. We experienced a 55-year old male patient who had Weil's disease associated with acute pancreatitis which was confirmed by elevated amylase and lipase with pancreatic swelling and peripancreatic fat infiltration on abdomen CT.

Panorama atual das leptospiroses humanas no Brasil / Current situation of human leptospirosis in Brazil

Foi efetuada a atualização dos estudos realizados no Brasil, referente às leptospiroses humanas, a partir de 1963, complementando revisão feita por C. Magaldi, referente ao período 1917-1962. Foram analisados os trabalhos apresentados ou publicados sobre o assunto nos diferentes Estados, bem como relatados dados e pesquisas ainda não publicados. Os sorotipos existente no Brasil, revelados através das provas de soroaglutinação ou por isolamento em cultura, foram relacionados em tabelas demonstrativas (AU).