Diagnosis and Management of Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is a disease known to cause heating up and causing redness of the hands. Caused by infection with bacteria of the genus Leptospira that affects humans as well as other mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles.

The disease was first described by Adolf Weil in 1886 when he reported an "acute infectious disease with enlargement of spleen, jaundice and nephritis". Leptospira was first observed in 1907 from a post mortem renal tissue slice. In 1908, Inada and Ito first identified it as the causative organism and in 1916 noted its presence in rats.

I. Diagnosis of Leptospirosis

Incubation period: 2-26 days (average 10 days)

Main complaint

• Sudden fever
• Myalgia, especially on M. gastrocnemius
• nausea
• Headache particularly retroorbital
• oliguri
• There is a history of work-related animal blood, or with rat urine (butchers cleaning gutters, etc.)

Signs and Symptoms of Leptospirosis

• Tenderness in the M. gastrocnemius
• Injection fairy-konjungtivalis
• jaundice
• hepatomegaly

Laboratory Tests of Leptospirosis

• Lekositosis
• Urine :
  
  • Proteinuria
  • Leukosuria
  • Haematuria
  • Leptospiruria
  • With ordinary microscope can be seen leptospires in urine sediment in 10 X40 magnification.
• With a dark field microscope can be seen in the blood cause the movement of leptospires.
• Can be cultured according to Korthof.

Complication

• heart failure
• liver failure
• myocarditis
• meningitis
• massive bleeding
• Iridosiklitis
• arthritis

II. Management of Leptospirosis

General Therapy
Rest
Diet : diet-free
Medical :

• The first drugs:
  High-dose penicillin 2-3 x (3-6) million units as soon as possible


Alternative Medicine:
Tetracycline, 3 x 500 mg / day
Doxycycline 2 x 100 mg / day, but be careful when there is impaired renal functionomplications of therapy

Complications of therapy

• Acute renal failure, requiring hemodialysis immediately.