A 21-year-old student with fever and profound jaundice

• Published in: PLoS neglected tropical diseases Vol. 8; no. 1; p. e2534
• Main Authors: Isa, Samson Ejiji, Onyedibe, Kenneth Ikenna, Okolo, Mark Ojogba, Abiba, Abiayi Elmina, Mafuka, Johnson Simon, Simji, Gomerep Samuel, Nathan, Shehu Yakubu, Udoh, Ubong Aniefok, Awang, Sati Klein, Egah, Daniel Zanyu, Banwat, Edmond Banle, Newport, Melanie, Ahmed, Ahmed
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 01.01.2014; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Abdomen; Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; AIDS; Anorexia; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Antibodies, Bacterial - blood; Case studies; Developing countries; Diagnosis, Differential; DNA, Bacterial - chemistry; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; Fever; Fever - complications; Fever - etiology; Floods; Food contamination & poisoning; Hepatitis; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Hyperthermia; Illnesses; Infections; Jaundice; Jaundice - complications; Jaundice - etiology; LDCs; Leptospira - classification; Leptospira - genetics; Leptospira - isolation & purification; Leptospirosis; Leptospirosis - diagnosis; Leptospirosis - drug therapy; Leptospirosis - microbiology; Leptospirosis - pathology; Male; Molecular Sequence Data; Mortality; Pain; Patients; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Students; Symposium; Tropical diseases; Urine; Young Adult; Nigeria; Jaundice; Leptospirosis; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Molecular Sequence Data; Male; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Antibodies, Bacterial; Fever; DNA, Bacterial; Young Adult; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Students; Leptospira
• ISSN: 1935-2735; 1935-2727; 1935-2735
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002534

  Whereas leptospirosis outbreaks are to be expected in situations where large numbers of persons are exposed to contaminated water [32], differences in virulence of leptospire strains, individual immune response variation to infection, lack of disease awareness on the part of health providers, and weak referral and notification systems might have contributed to failure to recognise other possible cases. Learning Points * Leptospirosis is an important differential diagnosis of acute febrile illnesses in developing countries like Nigeria. * Leptospirosis mimics many common febrile tropical illnesses like viral hepatitis, severe malaria, and enteric fever. * The clinical manifestations of leptospirosis are protean, and a high index of suspicion is needed to make a diagnosis and commence appropriate therapy. * Leptospirosis is potentially fatal but easy to treat if diagnosed early. * At the population level, it is important to improve general hygiene standards to reduce contact with the organism.