title: Leptospirosis pulmonary haemorrhage: a diagnostic challenge.
abstract: Leptospirosis is a re-emerging zoonosis with worldwide distribution. Antibiotic treatment is available, but leptospirosis is rarely suspected due to the non-specific clinical presentation, and is also underreported due to the difficulty in confirming the diagnosis. The syndrome of leptospirosis pulmonary haemorrhage is increasingly described; it is severe and can present without the classical manifestations of Weil's disease. We discuss two cases of leptospirosis with pulmonary haemorrhage; both our patients experienced a dramatic deterioration hours after their admission, and required emergency intubation and intensive therapy unit support. Massive haemoptysis is a life threatening complication of leptospirosis, even outside tropical areas.
authors.affiliation: Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust, Stadium Road, Woolwich, London, SE184QH, UK. mdallantonia@nhs.net
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dall'Antonia
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sluga
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Whitfield
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Teall
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Krahé
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D041383:Leptospira interrogans serovar icterohaemorrhagiae / Q000276:immunology; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial