Leptospiral Infections in Humans

Abstract

Leptospirosis is a globally widespread spirochetal infection spread from animals to humans. Infections are common in settings of endemicity, primarily in tropical regions of the world. Leptospirosis is typically a self-limited febrile illness but may progress to potentially fatal multiorgan system failure. Patients often present with a nonspecific acute febrile illness that is clinically difficult to distinguish from other similarly presenting infections endemic to tropical regions, including dengue fever, influenza, and malaria. A high index of suspicion is essential to early identification of patients who may benefit from antimicrobial therapy. Diagnostic testing is key to both recognition of early infection and outbreak investigation, typically in the setting of water exposure after heavy rainfall and flooding. This review focuses on the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and laboratory diagnosis of leptospirosis, including nucleic acid amplification tests, culture, direct detection, and serological approaches.