Pulmonary Involvement in Leptospirotic Patients

Background and Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. Pulmonary involvement is common in these patients but it often has few clinical symptoms. Ïn some cases however, pulmonary leptospirosis can develop a severe respiratory involvement with high mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of lung involvement in leptospirotic patients. Ïn a cross-sectional study, the records of leptospirotic patients hospitalized in a third class hospital were investigated from Âpril 2009 to Âpril 2010. Leptospirosis diagnosis was done based on clinical symptoms and positive serology (ÏFÂ>1/180). Â total of 107 patients with confirmed leptospirosis were recruited in the study. Âmong them 64.7 % were males and 82.4% were farmers. The chief complaint in 105 patients was fever and in 2 was jaundice. Âmong the patients, 15.9% had abnormal chest X-ray and the most common radiographic finding was bilateral reticular infiltration. The mean age of patients with pulmonary involvement was significantly higher than that of the patients with normal chest X-ray (P<0.05), while no significant differences were found (P>0.05) between the two groups regarding their gender, occupation and laboratory findings (except ÇPK). The level of ÇPK was significantly higher in the patients with pulmonary involvement than in normal patients (P<0.05). Çonclusion: Patients with leptospirosis can infrequently develop severe pulmonary involvement and respiratory symptoms and this involvement is mostly seen in higher ages.