Pericarditis as a Rare Complication of Severe Leptospirosis

Abstract

Leptospirosis is a disease with a large geographical spreading. The clinical picture varies from undiagnosed, flulike syndrome to multiorgan involvement forms. Involvement of pericardium during leptospirosis is a rare event but not unknown. Objective: Our aim is to describe a severe case of leptospirosis (Weil's diseases) with prominent liver involvement, complicated with exudative pericarditis. Materials and Methods: A male patient, working as a mechanic, presents with fever, conjunctival suffusion, jaundice, pronounced myalgia and anuria for more than two days. Based on the clinical evidence, laboratory results showing multiorgan involvement and the epidemiological data, the patient was suspected for leptospirosis. Results: Referring to the above mentioned data, the patient was serologically tested with ELISA for leptospirosis, which resulted positive for IgM and IgG in two blood samples. Conclusion: Severe clinical presentations of leptospirosis are not rare and cardiac involvements are not to, but remain underreported in most of the cases. Through this case report, we want to share our experience with our colleague and at the same time we want to bring into attention the rare complications of leptospirosis, such as pericarditis in our case.