ro13-9904 and Jaundice

Topics: Abdominal Pain; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated; Ceftriaxone; Child; Clindamycin; Conjunctivitis; Diagnosis, Differential; Fever; Humans; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; Immunologic Factors; Infliximab; Jaundice; Male; Methylprednisolone; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome; Nafcillin; Shock, Septic; Sodium Chloride; Treatment Outcome

To investigate the prevalence of leptospirosis among patients from within and outside Kolkata, India, attending the Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine, for treatment during August 2002 to August 2008.. The leptospirosis cases were determined on the basis of clinical, epidemiological, and biochemical factors, and were tested for leptospiral antibodies using IgM ELISA. Serum samples with absorbance ratio ≥ 1.21 were interpreted as reactive.. The commonest presentation involved fever, headache and jaundice. The male-female ratio was 61:46. A total of 65(64.20%) cases had abnormal liver and renal functions respectively, and 57.1% had both the abnormalities. The highest incidence (75, 35.04%) was recorded in September-October followed by July-August (53, 24.77%). The reactive cases had absorbance ratios between 1.21 and 8.21, and 53 showed equivocal result, while IgM non reactivity were seen in 90 patients (absorbance ratios 0.10-0.90). The patients responded to treatment with parenteral antibiotics, penicillin, ceftriaxone and cefotaxime; follow up did not reveal case fatality.. The cardinal signs of leptospirosis help in making clinical diagnosis, but in any hyper-endemic situation any patient reporting with acute fever and signs of pulmonary, hepatic or renal involvement should be suspected to have leptospirosis and investigated accordingly. Increased awareness, and early diagnosis and treatment, can reduce mortality due to leptospirosis.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antibodies, Bacterial; Cefotaxime; Ceftriaxone; Child; Climate; Drug Therapy, Combination; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Fever; Headache; Humans; Immunoglobulin M; Incidence; India; Infusions, Intravenous; Jaundice; Leptospira; Leptospirosis; Male; Middle Aged; Penicillins; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Young Adult

Hepatitis is a rare clinical manifestation of syphilis. In this report a 50 years old male patient who was diagnosed as secondary syphilis presenting with hepatitis has been discussed. The patient was admitted to the hospital with high fever and skin rash, and his history revealed a suspected sexual contact. He indicated that he had been admitted to a health center eight months ago because of the presence of a penile wound, however VDRL (Venereal Disease Research Laboratory) test was negative at that time. Fever (39.5 degrees C), jaundice in skin and sclera, generalized macular and maculopapular skin rash including palms and soles, lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly were detected in physical examination. Laboratory tests yielded elevated erythrocyte sedimantation rate, high CRP levels and elevated liver enzyme levels, however viral hepatitis markers together with VDRL and TPHA (Treponema pallidum hemagglutination) tests were found negative. Ceftriaxone therapy was initiated because of the presence of high fever (40 degrees C) and 30 leukocyte/mm3 in urine, and the absence of bacteria in Gram staining of urine sample. However, the antibiotic therapy was discontinued since fever persisted. As the clinical signs and symptoms strongly indicated syphilis, the serological tests were repeated and VDRL positivity at 1/8 and TPHA positivity at 1/1280 titers were detected. Ceftriaxone therapy was restarted and continued for 14 days with complete cure. Since the spouse of the patient was also found VDRL and TPHA positive, she was treated with penicilin. The presentation of this case emphasized the importance of repeating the serological tests for syphilis since they might be negative in the early stages of infection. The case also indicates that syphilis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of hepatitis.

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Cardiolipins; Ceftriaxone; Cholesterol; Diagnosis, Differential; Exanthema; Female; Fever; Hemagglutination Tests; Hepatitis; Hepatomegaly; Humans; Jaundice; Lymphatic Diseases; Male; Middle Aged; Phosphatidylcholines; Splenomegaly; Syphilis; Syphilis Serodiagnosis

Though typhoid fever is quite common, typhoid hepatitis is a very rare entity which may have a variety of presenting features similar to other more common conditions. One case of typhoid hepatitis is reported here because of its ratity.

Topics: Adolescent; Ceftriaxone; Cephalosporins; Female; Hepatitis; Humans; Jaundice; Liver; Typhoid Fever