title: Leptospirosis: a report on a series of five autochthonous cases in a Greek region.
abstract: Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease difficult to diagnose both to the clinic and the laboratory. Many risk factors have been involved, such as planting, hunting, harvesting and butchering or sports, such as rafting. We reported our experience through a period of 20  months and we tried to investigate prognostic factors predicting clinical outcomes. Five male patients were admitted to our Department with a median age of 40  years. Overall, three out of five patients presented to other hospital and were transferred to ours with a wrong or delayed diagnosis. In terms of clinical signs and symptoms, all presented with fever, myalgia, headache and jaundice, whereas conjunctival suffusion was present in 80% of them. Acute renal injury and liver deficiency were diagnosed in all subjects. Acute renal failure management required dialysis in 3/5 patients, whereas renal recovery was achieved soon after clinical improvement. However, clinical awareness and serology are the most important tools for accurate and quick diagnosis in order to administer the appropriate therapy.
authors.affiliation: a Infectious Diseases Unit, 2nd University Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis , Democritus University of Thrace , Greece.
authors.forename: Periklis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Panagopoulos
authors.affiliation: a Infectious Diseases Unit, 2nd University Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis , Democritus University of Thrace , Greece.
authors.forename: Anestis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ganitis
authors.affiliation: a Infectious Diseases Unit, 2nd University Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis , Democritus University of Thrace , Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Papanas
authors.affiliation: a Infectious Diseases Unit, 2nd University Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis , Democritus University of Thrace , Greece.
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Iosifidou
authors.affiliation: a Infectious Diseases Unit, 2nd University Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis , Democritus University of Thrace , Greece.
authors.forename: Tzelal
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maltsan
authors.affiliation: a Infectious Diseases Unit, 2nd University Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis , Democritus University of Thrace , Greece.
authors.forename: Serif
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kioutsouk
authors.affiliation: a Infectious Diseases Unit, 2nd University Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis , Democritus University of Thrace , Greece.
authors.forename: Evi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Christakidou
authors.affiliation: a Infectious Diseases Unit, 2nd University Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis , Democritus University of Thrace , Greece.
authors.forename: Efstratios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maltezos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Acute Renal Injury; Conjunctival suffusion; Leptospirosis