Korean J Med.  2009 Oct;77(4):450-452.

Clinical relevance of pulmonary involvement in leptospirosis

• Kim MJ

Abstract

Pulmonary hemorrhage has been well described as an unique one of clinical manifestations in the epidemic form of human leptospirosis in Korea and China during past decades. Interestingly, there has been growing recognition of severe form of pulmonary involvement, often fatal with prominent pulmonary hemorrhage, in outbreaks or sporadics of leptospirosis in several countries since the late 1990s. The article by Kang et al. in this issue describes clinical spectrum of leptospirosis with the prognosis in cases with pulmonary involvement in Cheonam Province during the period of 2001 through 2007, It is not known whether the emergence of severe pulmonary hemorrhagic leptospirosis reflects unique virulence properties of specific strains.

Keyword

Leptospirosis; Pulmonary Hemorrhage; Prognosis

MeSH Terms

China
Disease Outbreaks
Hemorrhage
Humans
Korea
Leptospirosis
Prognosis