title: Short-course treatment with ceftriaxone for leptospirosis: a retrospective study in a single center in Eastern France.
abstract: Short-course (less than 7 days) antibiotic treatments have been rarely assessed in the management of leptospirosis. We analyzed the charts of patients hospitalized with confirmed and probable leptospirosis in a teaching hospital between 1994 and 2012. Of 89 patients with confirmed or probable leptospirosis, 21 patients (11 confirmed, 10 probable - 14 uncomplicated and 7 severe forms) admitted between 2001 and 2012 received ceftriaxone (1-2 g daily) for less than 7 days. Apyrexia was obtained within 2 days of treatment in all patients and no relapse was observed. These data support the hypothesis that short-course treatments of 3-6 days with ceftriaxone (1-2 g per day) may be an option in the treatment of uncomplicated and severe forms of leptospirosis responding quickly to therapy. This hypothesis deserves being confirmed in further clinical studies.
authors.affiliation: Service de maladies infectieuses et Tropicales, CHU de Besançon, 25030 Besançon cedex, France. Electronic address: jffaucher@chu-besancon.fr.
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Faucher
authors.affiliation: Service de maladies infectieuses et Tropicales, CHU de Besançon, 25030 Besançon cedex, France.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chirouze
authors.affiliation: Service de maladies infectieuses et Tropicales, CHU de Besançon, 25030 Besançon cedex, France.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hoen
authors.affiliation: Service de maladies infectieuses et Tropicales, CHU de Besançon, 25030 Besançon cedex, France.
authors.forename: Joël
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leroy
authors.affiliation: Service de maladies infectieuses et Tropicales, CHU de Besançon, 25030 Besançon cedex, France.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hustache-Mathieu
authors.affiliation: Service de maladies infectieuses et Tropicales, CHU de Besançon, 25030 Besançon cedex, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Marie
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Estavoyer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D007919:Leptospira / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002443:Ceftriaxone
keywords: Ceftriaxone; Leptospirosis; Short-course treatment