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. 2022 Jul 5;107(2):397-400.
doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-0656. Print 2022 Aug 17.

Leptospirosis among Dengue-Negative Febrile Patients in Selangor, Malaysia

Shih Keng Loong  1 , Mohamad Azlan Abd-Majid  1 , Boon Teong Teoh  1 , Mi Jing Cheh  1 , Chee Sieng Khor  1 , Chien Chung Chao  2   3 , Jing Jing Khoo  1 , Sazaly AbuBakar  1   4
Affiliations

Leptospirosis among Dengue-Negative Febrile Patients in Selangor, Malaysia

Shih Keng Loong et al. Am J Trop Med Hyg. .

Abstract

In recent years, the number of leptospirosis cases, including the number of deaths, has exponentially increased in Malaysia. From June 2016 to February 2018, blood samples of 321 febrile patients with the presumptive diagnosis of dengue-like illness were examined for possible exposure to Leptospira. Two hundred fifty-five blood samples were tested as negative for dengue. Seminested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and IgM ELISA for leptospirosis were performed. From the samples, an overall prevalence for leptospirosis based on PCR of 4.7% (12/255) was obtained. Eighteen percent (46/255) were positive for anti-Leptospira IgM antibodies. The genome sequences of six of 12 Leptospira PCR-positive samples showed > 97.0% similarity to Leptospira interrogans. One patient's sample consisted of Leptospira and chikungunya virus, suggesting a coinfection. Findings from the study suggest that leptospirosis is prevalent among dengue-negative febrile patients in Malaysia.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Location of the district health clinics where this study was conducted.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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