Leptospirosis presenting to an intensive care unit in provincial New Zealand: a case series and review

Abstract

Background: Leptospirosis is a disease associated with meat and agricultural workers which is endemic in New Zealand and Australia. During 2003-2005, it resulted in 207 hospitalisations in New Zealand. Hawke's Bay had the highest regional incidence in 2004 and 2005. While admission to intensive care units with leptospirosis is not infrequent, no such cases have been described in the literature from New Zealand, and only five from Australia.

Methods: A chart review of all patients admitted to the intensive care/high dependency unit of a regional hospital in New Zealand with a diagnosis of leptospirosis from June 1999 to May 2005. Admission features, progress and diagnostic tests were collated, and APACHE II score on admission and daily Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score were calculated.

Results: 15 cases were identified; median age was 44 years (range, 27-62), and 13 were men. Myalgia, headache, nausea and vomiting were common; nine had conjunctival suffusion. Ten had hypotension and 14 had renal failure before ICU admission. Eleven received vasoactive support, and three received renal replacement therapy. Median length of ICU stay was 4 days (range, 2- 11; mean, 4 days). Median hospital stay was 6 days (range, 2-13; mean, 7.6 days). All patients survived and were discharged free of dialysis.

Conclusion: Leptospirosis presents to the ICU with a variety of signs and symptoms. Renal failure is the most common organ dysfunction requiring intensive care, and its severity is disproportionate to other signs of severe sepsis. Leptospirosis has a good prognosis with early management in an ICU.