Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
Volume 4 Issue 3
Coden: IJMRHS
th
Copyright @2015
ISSN: 2319-5886
Review article
DECIPHERING LEPTOSPIROSIS-A DIAGNOSTIC MYSTERY: AN INSIGHT
*Mohit Bhatia1, B L Umapathy2
1
Senior Resident, Department of Microbiology, Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Post Graduate Medical
Education and Research, New Delhi
2
Professor, Department of Microbiology, Sree Mookambika Institute of Medical Sciences, Kulasekharam,
Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu
*Corresponding author email: docmb1984@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Leptospirosis is an emerging infectious disease which has been recognized as the most common zoonotic
infection in the world. It affects human beings and many other species of vertebrates . Most commonly, the
infection is acquired by direct or indirect exposure to urine of reservoir animals through contaminated
soil, mud & water entering via small abrasions or breaches in the skin & mucous membranes during
occupational, recreational or vocational activities. The signs & symptoms resemble a wide range of
bacterial & viral diseases & sometimes can present as food poisoning, chemical poisoning & snake bite
also due to which the diagnosis is often missed. This review article aims to focus on the role of Dark Field
Microscopy (DFM), culture, Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA), Macroscopic Slide Agglutination
test (MSAT), Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) and Faines criteria in the diagnosis of leptospirosis.
Keywords: Dark Field Microscopy, Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay, Macroscopic Slide Agglutination
test, Microscopic Agglutination Test, Faines criteria
INTRODUCTION
Leptospirosis also known by various names like
Weils disease, Pretibial fever, Fort Bragg
fever, Peapickers fever in different parts of
the world is an acute bacterial infection caused
by spirochetes belonging to the genus Leptospira
that can lead to multiple organ involvement and
fatal complications.[1] It has been recognized as the
most common zoonotic infection in the world.[2]
Leptospirosis has a wide geographical distribution
and occurs in tropical, subtropical and temperate
climatic zones. The incidence is higher in the
tropics than in temperate regions.[3] Most countries
in the South East Asia region are endemic to
leptospirosis.[2]
Leptospirosis affects human beings and many
other species of vertebrates .[2] Most commonly,
693
Mohit et al.,
694
Mohit et al.,
695
Mohit et al.,
696
Mohit et al.,
697
Mohit et al.,
698
Mohit et al.,
699
Mohit et al.,
Table: 1. Table showing comparison between Faines & modified Faines criteria [9,11]
Faines criteria
Modified Faines criteria
PART A: Clinical data
PART
A:
Clinical data
Score
Score
Headache
2
Headache
2
Fever
2
Fever
2
If fever, temperature 39C or more
2
If fever, temperature 39C or more
2
Conjunctival suffusion (bilateral)
4
Conjunctival suffusion (bilateral)
4
Meningism
4
Meningism
4
Muscle pain (especially calf muscle)
4
Muscle pain (especially calf muscle)
4
Conjunctival suffusion + meningism +
10
Conjunctival suffusion + meningism +
10
muscle pain
muscle pain
Jaundice
Jaundice
1
1
Albuminuria or nitrogen retention
Albuminuria or nitrogen retention
2
2
PART B: Epidemiological factors
PART B: Epidemiological factors
Contact with animals or contact with
Rainfall
5
known contaminated water
Contact
with
contaminated
environment
4
10
Animal contact
1
PART C: Bacteriological and laboratory
PART
C:
Bacteriological
and
findings
laboratory findings
Isolation of leptospires in culture:
Isolation of leptospires in culture:
Diagnosis
Diagnosis
certain
certain
Positive serology (MAT)
Positive serology
Leptospirosis (endemic)
ELISA IgM positive*
15
2
Single positive low titre
MSAT positive*
15
10
Single positive high titre
MAT single high titre*
15
MAT rising titres (paired sera)*
25
*Only one of these tests to be scored
Leptospirosis (non-endemic)
5
Single positive low titres
15
Single positive high titres
25
Rising titres (paired sera)
CONCLUSION
Leptospirosis is probably an under diagnosed
infectious disease which mysteriously mimics several
clinical conditions. It is an emerging infectious
disease, the current incidence of which only
represents tip of an iceberg. Although, several
modalities are currently available for diagnosing this
deadly infectious disease, but each one of these has
certain limitations. Newer diagnostic tests for
leptospirosis are need of the hour which would aid
clinical diagnosis during the initial phase of the
disease and rapid case confirmation during outbreak
surveillance.
Acknowledgment : Dr Bibhabati Mishra, Director,
Professor and Head, Department of Microbiology,
Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Post Graduate
Medical Education and Research, New Delhi.
700
Mohit et al.,
5. Vijayachari
P,
Sameer
Sharma
&
Natarajaseenivasan K. Laboratory Diagnosis. In:
Leptospirosis Laboratory Manual, Regional
Medical Research centre, Port Blair ,WHO
Country office for India, WHO, 2007, pp.27-45
6. Sharma KK, Kalawat U. Early diagnosis of
leptospirosis
by
conventional
methods: One year prospective study. Indian J
Pathol Microbiol 2008; 5:209-11
7. Angnani R, Pathak AA, Mishra M. Prevalence of
leptospirosis in various risk groups. Indian J Med
Microbiol 2003 Oct;21(4):271-73
8. Singh SS. Clinical Manifestations. In:
Leptospirosis Laboratory Manual, Regional
Medical Research centre, Port Blair, WHO
Country office for India, WHO, 2007, pp.22-26
9. Faine.S. Guidelines for the control of
Leptospirosis. WHO offset publication 1982:67
10. Brato DG, Mendoza MT, Coredero CP,
Leptospirosis Study Group. Validation of the
WHO criteria using the MAT as the gold
standard in the diagnosis of leptospirosis. PJMID
1998;27:125-128
11. Shivakumar S, Shareek PS. Diagnosis of
leptospirosis utilizing modified Faines criteria.
JAPI 2004 Aug;52:678-79
12. Sambasiva RR, Naveen G, Bhalla P, Agarwal
SK.
Leptospirosis
in
India
and
the
rest of the world. Braz J Infect Dis
2003;7(3):178-93
13. Vijayachari P, Sehgal SC. Recent advances in the
laboratory
diagnosis
of
leptospirosis and characterization of leptospires.
Indian
J
Med
Microbiol.
2006
Oct;24(4):320-22
14. Levett PN. Leptospirosis. Clin Microbiol Rev
2001 April;14(2):296-326
15. Peter S. Leptospirosis. In: Joseph L, Kasper DL,
Braunwald E, Fauci AS, Hauser SL, Longo DL,
Jameson JL, (eds.), Harrisons Principles of
Internal Medicine, 17th ed, New York: McGraw
Hill, 2005, pp.988-95
16. Gangadhar N L, Prabhudas K , Sashi B ,
Munasira S , Barbuddhe SB, Rehaman H.
Leptospira infection in animals and humans:a
potential public health risk in India. Rev. sci.
tech. Off. int. Epiz. 2008;27(3):885-92
17. World Health Organization. Human
Leptospirosis: Guidance for diagnosis,
surveillance and control [Book on the internet].
World Health Organization;2003
http://whqlibdoc.who.int./hq/2003/2003/WHO_C
DS_CSR_EPH_2002.23.pdf
18. Coghlan JD. Leptospira, Borrelia, Spirillum. In:
Collee JG, Fraser AG, Marimon BP, Simmons A,
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
701
Mohit et al.,