Leptospiral antibodies in patients with recurrent ophthalmic involvement.

Leptospiral antibodies could be demonstrated by microscopic agglutination test in 14 of 15 (93%) patients with acute panuveitis and retinal vasculitis in a preliminary study undertaken during the postmonsoon period at Madurai in Tamilnadu, India. The predominant serogroup was Pomona followed by Autumnalis, Australis and Javanica, the titres being between 1:160 and 1:10240. Titres in the normal controls were 1:20 to 1:80 in 8 of 20 mostly to the endemic serogroup Autumnalis. The involvement of leptospires particularly Pomona as a cause of ophthalmic complications in the patients studied is likely.