Authors: Ramachandran S Perera MVF
Publish Date: 1977/01/01
Volume: 71, Issue: 1, Pages: 56-59
Abstract
The clinicopathological features of cardiac and pulmonary involvement were studied in seven cases of fatal leptospirosis Petechial haemorrhages occurred in the heart and pericardium in all cases with bloodstained pericardial effusions in five Interstitial myocarditis was noted in five patients and probably caused the changing electrocardiographic abnormalities and clinical cardiovascular effects during the illness Subpleural and intrapulmonary haemorrhages occurred in all seven cases with pleural effusions in four Pulmonary oedema was a striking feature during the early stages of the illness while in patients surviving the first week of the disease infiltrative and proliferative lesions were common The latter type of pulmonary changes occurred at a stage when acute renal failure was improving and were not related to the presence and severity of jaundice The clinicopathological profile of pulmonary involvement in leptospirosis appears to fall into an adult respiratory distress syndrome and when present carries a serious prognosis and would then be a prime factor in mortality As clinical manifestations of pulmonary involvement appear late during the clinical illness and may be of abrupt onset auscultatory and radiological surveillance becomes mandatory in severe leptospiral infections
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