Leptospirosis patient with AIDS: the first case reported

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical Vol. 27; no. 1; pp. 39 - 42
• Main Authors: Neves, E de S, Pereira, M M, Galhardo, M C, Caroli, A, Andrade, J, Morgado, M G, Mendes, R P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Brazil Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical 1994; Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical - SBMT; Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT)
• Subjects: AIDS; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - diagnosis; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - microbiology; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - pathology; AIDS/HIV; Case report; Fatal Outcome; HIV-1; Humans; Leptospira interrogans; Leptospira interrogans - isolation & purification; Leptospirose; Leptospirosis; Male; Relato de caso; Renal Insufficiency - diagnosis; Renal Insufficiency - microbiology; Renal Insufficiency - pathology; SIDA; TROPICAL MEDICINE; Weil Disease - diagnosis; Weil Disease - microbiology; Weil Disease - pathology; Leptospirosis; Case report; Relato de caso; SIDA; AIDS; Leptospira interrogans; Leptospirose
• ISSN: 0037-8682; 1678-9849; 1678-9849; 0037-8682
• DOI: 10.1590/S0037-86821994000100008

A case of renal icterohemorrhagic leptospirosis involving a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is reported. Despite the low levels of CD4+ T lymphocytes, the clinical course of leptospirosis was similar to that observed in non-immunodepressed patients, and no worsening of AIDS occurred due to the infection by the spirochete. Serologic conversion was observed in the microscopic agglutination test, with maximum titer of 1:3,200. The patient had positive urine cultures for Leptospira interrogans for two months, whereas blood cultures were negative.