Unilateral leptospiral pneumonia and cold agglutinin disease.
Pneumonia that is unresponsive to appropriate antibiotic therapy suggests an infection due to more unusual or resistant organisms. In this report, a child with unilateral pneumonia, pleural effusion, and anti-I cold hemagglutinin antibodies is presented. The usual causes of this clinical picture were suspected and treated, but the child did not improve. Features of her history suggested a more unusual etiology, and a diagnosis of leptospirosis was made. A brief discussion of leptospiral disease in children is provided.
Bowsher
B
B
Department of Pediatrics, Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, HI 96859-5000, USA.
Callahan
C W
CW
Person
D A
DA
Ruess
L
L
D000744:Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune / Q000150:complications*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000150:complications; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014895:Weil Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*