Paediatric leptospirosis: A population based case-control study from Chennai, India

R Narayanan, G Sumathi, SG Prabhakaran, S Shanmughapriya, K NatarajaseenivasanIndian Journal of Medical Microbiology 2016 34(2):228-232The surveillance in Chennai identified 134 children and 443 adults clinically suspected for leptospirosis. Of these, 35 (26.1%) children and 118 (26.6%) adults had laboratory confirmed diagnosis for leptospirosis. The paediatric leptospirosis exhibited a higher frequency of classic features of Weil's disease. The prevalent serovar encountered was Icterohaemorrhagiae with no difference in the pattern of infecting serovars between the two groups. Further, confirmation of diagnosis was achieved by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with a positivity of 28.4% (specificity 96%). Univariate analysis showed significant association of paediatric leptospirosis with rat infestation (odds ratio 87.4). Thus, PCR facilitates early diagnosis of febrile illness among paediatric cases.

Source: Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology - April 13, 2016 Category: Microbiology Authors: R NarayananG SumathiSG PrabhakaranS ShanmughapriyaK Natarajaseenivasan Source Type: research