title: Neutrophil counts in leptospirosis patients infected with different serovars.
abstract: In leptospirosis patients, haematological abnormalities have been reported. The aim of this study was to determine if neutrophil counts were different between patients known to be infected with a range of leptospiral serovars. The study retrospectively compared the neutrophil counts from the first blood samples taken from 210 leptospirosis patients at first presentation to a Queensland Health hospital. Significant differences (p <0.001) were observed in neutrophil counts across the 11 different infecting serovars. These findings suggest that neutrophil counts may be useful in the development of an algorithm determining the infecting serovar in suspected leptospirosis patients. Further studies are required to delineate host cytokine responses which may suggest the underlying aetiology of the observed differences in neutrophil counts. Such studies would also provide valuable therapeutic insights into treating the disease.
authors: Faculty of Science, Health and Education, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs, Queensland, 4556.
authors: S B
authors: SB
authors: Craig
authors: School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, Queensland, 4001.
authors: T A
authors: TA
authors: Collet
authors: WHO/OIE/FAO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Leptospirosis, PO Box 594, Archerfield, Queensland, 4108.
authors: S J
authors: SJ
authors: Wynwood
authors: WHO/OIE/FAO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Leptospirosis, PO Box 594, Archerfield, Queensland, 4108.
authors: L D
authors: LD
authors: Smythe
authors: School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, Queensland, 4001.
authors: S L
authors: SL
authors: Weier
authors: Faculty of Science, Health and Education, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs, Queensland, 4556.
authors: D B
authors: DB
authors: McKay
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007919:Leptospira / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology*; D011793:Queensland; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012703:Serotyping; D055815:Young Adult