The incidence and clinical characteristics of the immune phase eye disease in treated cases of human leptospirosis.

BACKGROUND

Uveitis is increasingly being reported from south India following epidemics of leptospirosis. The incidence of eye involvement in treated patients has not been investigated properly in prospective studies.

AIMS: To determine the incidence, clinical spectrum and risk factors for Leptospiral uveitis in antibiotic-treated patients.

SETTINGS AND

DESIGN

A prospective cohort study conducted among the patients treated for leptospirosis at Calicut Medical College between July and November 2002 and a seroprevalence study among sewage workers.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

As many as 360 patients admitted with suspected leptospirosis were studied by clinical examination, baseline ophthalmic survey, laboratory investigations and Leptospira serology (Microagglutination test - MAT; and IgM and IgG using ELISA) during the epidemic. Of the 282 seropositive and antibiotic-treated cases, 174 patients who completed 30 months of regular follow-up were analyzed. A cross-sectional serosurveillance also was performed among 50 sewage workers to determine the baseline MAT titer.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Univariate analysis and logistic regression.

RESULTS

Thirty-two patients (18.4%) developed the eye disease during follow-up. The mean age was 43.9 years and the sex ratio was equal. Twenty-one patients (65.6%) had anterior uveitis. Only six patients (18.8%) had visual symptoms. Median duration for developing anterior uveitis was 4 weeks. Recurrent uveitis was not seen following treatment. None had vision-threatening eye disease. Clinical and laboratory abnormalities during the acute phase did not pose risk for development of the eye disease later. Forty-six sewage workers (92%) showed a MAT titer of 1/25.

CONCLUSIONS

Uveitis is common following acute leptospirosis. Antibiotic-treated patients during the acute phase of illness developed only mild uveitis.