Leptospirosis: a diagnostic conundrum. (October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gurumurthy, Keerthivasan; Narasimha, Harish Belgode; Wyawahare, Mukta; Biswal, Niranjan
• Is Part Of: Tropical doctor. Volume 48:Number 4(2018)
• Page Start: 306
• Page End: 309
• Publication Date: 2018-10
• Subjects: Asia -- bacterial infection -- community health -- Leptospirosis -- PCR -- epidemiology; Tropical medicine -- Periodicals; Medical care -- Developing countries -- Periodicals; Developing Countries -- Periodicals; Tropical Medicine -- Periodicals; Tropische geneeskunde; 616.9883
• DOI: 10.1177/0049475518788470
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0049-4755

Abstract

Leptospirosis is a serious public health concern worldwide. It is highly endemic in the Andaman Islands and its prevalence is increasing in other Indian states. Clinical features are non-specific and diagnosis relies on laboratory confirmation. The gold standard is microscopic agglutination testing, but this is not widely available. Real-time polymerase chain reaction testing of LipL32 antigen provides the earliest detection of pathogenic Leptospira in the body. We found it to be 100% specific, but it should be used in the first 10 days of illness for reliable results.