NeuroLearn NeuroHelp Bacteria @ General information Clinical stages Culture Pathology
General information:
Geographic
distribution:
Port
of entry:
Congenital
infection:
Number
of stages:
Initial
phase:
Incubation period is about 2-26 days. Abruptonset of high fever with
headaches and other clinical manifestations. Neurologic manifestation
include clinical meningitis and occasional cranial or peripheral nerve
involvement.
Immune
phase:
The symptoms clean up after 4-7 days followed by a brief afebrile period of
about 1-3 days. The patient becomes sick again as the immune phase starts
(antibody response).
Severe
icteric leptospirosis (Weil’s disease): This
is characterized by liver and renal dysfunction, decreased level of
consciousness and widespread vasculitis with hemorrhage. Subarachnoid
hemorrhage and intracerebral bleeding may occur. Mortality rate is 15-40%.
CSF:
Urine : Leptospira can be cultured from urine for months.
Pathogenesis:
After inoculation, a leptospiremia can follow and the organisms become localized
in the brain and kidneys. The organism replicate in the reticuloendothelial
system, particularly the liver.
GROSS
PATHOLOGY: Congested and swollen brain with petechial hemorrhages in the
meninges and cortex.
Histology:
Thickened meninges with mononuclear inflammatory cell infiltration and
perivascular lymphocytic infiltration in the brain and spinal cord.
Chromatolysis of cerebral crotical neurons and gliosis of the grey matter along
with patchy demyelination in the pons.
Systemic:
Petechial and large hemorrhage with necrosis in liver, focal hemorrhagic
myocarditis, and swelling and vacuolization of skeletal muscle.