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Leptospirosis in children

Abstract:

Introduction. Leptospirosis is an infectious disease rarely referenced in the pediatric literature in recent years. It has been classically considered as a work-related disease. However, the practice of specific outdoor activities represents an additional risk factor of increasing importance. Well's disease, the most severe form, represents only a 10% of the cases, with the remaining 90% being less severe forms with non-specific symptoms. Case report. A case of leptospirosis in a pediatric patient is presented. The patient, who had been bathing in a marsh in previous days, presented with non-specific symptoms. The diagnosis of leptospirosis was considered, which was confirmed by the appropriate serologic tests. Discussion. The pediatrician must be aware of the nonspecific symptoms associated with leptospirosis, particularly headaches and myalgias, in the differential diagnosis of fever of unknown origin in children, specially in the summer and fall seasons.