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Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 77(3), 2007, pp. 525-527
Copyright © 2007 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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SHORT REPORT


Coinfection with Leptospirosis and Scrub Typhus in Taiwanese Patients

Chen-Hsiang Lee AND Jien-Wei Liu*
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China

 

ABSTRACT

We retrospectively analyzed patients with leptospirosis (n = 35), scrub typhus (n = 45), and coinfection (leptospirosis and scrub typhus [n = 7]) to facilitate the detection of coinfection. Our data showed that factors favoring these disease entities included animal contact, an aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase ratio > 2 (for leptospirosis); outdoor exposure, lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, eschar, and elevated alkaline phosphatase levels (for scrub typhus and coinfection); calf tenderness, conjunctival suffusion, jaundice, oliguria, elevated total bilirubin levels and serum creatinine levels (for leptospirosis and coinfection); and maculopapular rash (for scrub typhus). Patients at risk for leptospirosis are often at increased risk for scrub typhus and vice versa. Lack of knowledge of coinfection may jeopardize the health of affected patients. Our study serves as a reminder of potential coinfection and provides clues for its detection.

Received April 11, 2007. Accepted for publication June 13, 2007.

* Address correspondence to Jien-Wei Liu, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, 123 Ta Pei Road, Niao Sung Hsiang 833, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan, Republic of China. E-mail: 88b0{at}adm.cgmh.org.tw

Authors’ address: Chen-Hsiang Lee and Jien-Wein Liu, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine Kaohsiung, 123 Ta Pei Road, Niao Sung Hsiang, Kaohsiung Hsien, 833, Taiwan, Republic of China.






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Copyright © 2007 by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.