title: Emerging tropical diseases in Australia. Part 1. Leptospirosis.
abstract: Human leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of global importance that causes significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in developing nations. In this review, the history, epidemiology, transmission, clinical presentation and treatment of this disease, and its impact in Australia, are discussed. Central to this review is the delineation of diagnostic methods for the disease and the challenges that this disease presents for both the clinician and diagnostic laboratory. This information should furnish clinicians with an updated tool to help overcome a number of problems associated with the diagnosis of leptospirosis.
authors.affiliation: WHO/OIE/FAO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Leptospirosis, Communicable Diseases Unit, Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services, P.O. Box 594, Archerfield, Queensland, 4108, Australia.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Tulsiani
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Van Den Hurk
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Smythe
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: McKay
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Craig
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007919:Leptospira / Q000276:immunology; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D015415:Biomarkers