Leptospirosis in the tropics and in travelers.

Abstract

Leptospirosis, caused by spirochetes of the genus Leptospira, has increasingly been recognized to affect travelers and residents in tropical settings. A zoonotic disease, leptospirosis is transmitted to humans through environmental surface waters contaminated by the urine of chronically infected mammals. Outcome of infection varies, ranging from acute febrile illness (including self-resolving undifferentiated fever) to aseptic meningitis to a fulminant syndrome of jaundice, oliguric renal failure, pulmonary hemorrhage, and refractory shock. Hospitalized cases have mortality rates as high as 25%. A recent clinical trial showed that third-generation cephalosporin is as effective as doxycycline and penicillin in the treatment of acute disease. Doxycycline is effective in preventing leptospirosis in travelers. No protective vaccine is currently available.

• Authors: Jessica N Ricaldi, Joseph M Vinetz
• Journal: Current infectious disease reports (Curr Infect Dis Rep) Vol. 8 Issue 1 Pg. 51-8 (Jan 2006) ISSN: 1523-3847 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16448601 (Publication Type: Journal Article)