Clinical presentation of leptospirosis: a retrospective study of 34 patients admitted to a single institution in metropolitan France

Clin Microbiol Infect. 2005 May;11(5):391-4. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-0691.2005.01148.x.

Abstract

Leptospirosis has a highly variable clinical presentation, which may be related to different infecting serovars, host factors, or a combination of these. This study investigated retrospectively 34 consecutive patients with serologically confirmed leptospirosis admitted during the period 1992-2002. On admission, the most frequent symptoms were fever (100%), headache (75%), myalgia (55%), arthralgia (45%) and vomiting (39%). Pertinent laboratory findings included lymphopenia (85%), thrombocytopenia (75%), elevated liver enzymes (87%) and renal abnormalities (proteinuria, 77%; haematuria, 58%; elevated serum creatinine, 53%). The study confirmed the variable clinical and biological symptoms of leptospirosis, and indicated that lymphopenia is a common feature of leptospirosis cases.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Child
  • Female
  • Fever / pathology
  • France / epidemiology
  • Hospitals
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Intensive Care Units
  • Leptospirosis / epidemiology
  • Leptospirosis / pathology*
  • Leptospirosis / therapy
  • Lymphopenia / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Proteinuria / pathology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Thrombocytopenia / pathology