Leptospire Endocarditis and Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia Presenting With Cardiac Aneurysm and Multiple Infarcts of Brain, Liver, and Kidneys

Multiple Pulmonary Nodules in Leptospirosis

A 21-year-old man presented with the chief complaints of fever and sore throat after visiting Cambodia and Thailand. Computed tomography revealed multiple pulmonary nodules. After performing antibiotic therapy, the pulmonary nodules without bacteremia disappeared completely. Paired microscopic agglutination tests revealed seroconversion against Leptospira serogroup Autumnalis. Thus, he was diagnosed with multiple pulmonary nodules caused by leptospirosis. Leptospirosis is a common zoonosis that occurs in tropical and subtropical areas. Its various clinical features include unspecified fever and Weil's disease. Although diffuse alveolar hemorrhaging is known to occur in severe leptospirosis, multiple pulmonary nodules resembling septic emboli or vasculitis are a rare complication.

Cardiac involvement in leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is a neglected global disease with significant morbidity and mortality. Cardiac complications such as chest pain, arrhythmias, pulmonary oedema and refractory shock have been reported in patients with severe disease. However, the frequency and extent of cardiac involvement in leptospirosis, are under-reported and poorly understood. Multiple factors may contribute to clinical manifestations that suggest cardiac involvement, causing diagnostic confusion. A variety of electrocardiographic changes occur in leptospirosis, with atrial fibrillation, atrioventricular conduction blocks and non-specific ventricular repolarization abnormalities being the most common. Electrolyte abnormalities are likely to contribute to electrocardiographic changes; direct effects on Na(+)-K(+)-Cl(-) transporters in the renal tubules have been postulated. Echocardiographic evidence of myocardial dysfunction has not been adequately demonstrated. The diagnostic value of cardiac biomarkers is unknown. Histopathological changes in the myocardium have been clearly shown, with myocardial inflammation and vasculitis present in postmortem studies. Nonetheless, the pathophysiology of cardiac involvement in leptospirosis is poorly understood. Cardiac involvement, demonstrated electrocardiographically or clinically, tends to predict poor outcome. No specific therapies are available to prevent or treat cardiac involvement in leptospirosis; current management is based on correction of deranged homeostasis and supportive therapy. Evidence suggests that direct myocardial damage occurs in patients with severe leptospirosis, and further studies are recommended to elucidate its pathophysiology, clinical features and contribution to overall prognosis, and to identify appropriate diagnostic investigations and specific therapies.

Leptospirosis with transient paraparesis and thrombocytopenia: a case report

Leptospirosis is the most widespread zoonosis in the world. We present an unusual case of leptospirosis in a 44-year-old man with severe thrombocytopenia and transient paraparesis. The diagnosis of leptospirosis was confirmed by blood nested polymerase chain reaction, seroconversion of Leptospira IgM and the microscopic agglutination test. Nerve conduction studies were suggestive of early polyneuropathy involving the right peroneal nerve and bilateral sural nerves. Peripheral nerve palsy is a potential clinical feature of leptospirosis.