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Abstract
A 35-year-old male patient reached the emergency department after an episode of massive haemoptysis a few hours ago. Fever and dyspnea were mentioned to be present the last 5 days. His medical history included only malaria, successfully treated 2 years ago. Clinical examination revealed high fever, jaundice, cyanosis, tachypnea and bilateral rales on pulmonary auscultation. Laboratory investigation showed high erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C reactive protein, leucocytosis, anaemia, mild thrombocytopaenia, renal impairment, hyperbilirubinaemia and abnormal liver function tests; arterial blood gas analysis showed respiratory alkalosis with severe hypoxia. Thoracic X-ray revealed bilateral pulmonary infiltrates, whereas abdominal and heart ultrasound detected hepatomegaly and small pericardial infusion, respectively. The diagnosis of leptospirosis along with acute respiratory distress syndrome was confirmed by positive IgM Leptospira antibodies. Empirical treatment with triple antibiotic therapy and corticosteroids was applied. The patient was discharged after 1 week, without any symptoms and with almost normal laboratory tests.
- liver disease
- infectious diseases
- acute renal failure
- pneumonia (respiratory medicine)
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Footnotes
Contributors CL, the corresponding author, was the responsible consultant for patient’s treatment. He was the supervisor of AR, the training doctor who was looking after the patient. He participated in article writing and reviewed it before submission. IP participated in article preparation and literature review as well as in interpretation of data. She was the assistant consultant in patient’s evaluation and follow-up. AR had a major contribution in article writing and acquisition of data. She prepared the manuscript according to journal’s template. She was also the training doctor who was looking after the patient.
Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Competing interests None declared.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
Patient consent for publication Obtained.