Leptospirosis



Leptospirosis (Common name: Weil's Disease)
 * Name of Disease:**

//Leptospira// bacteria
 * Root cause of disease:**

Skin, muscle, adipose, and other epithelial tissues
 * Affected cell types/tissues/organs/systems:**

1883 - Disease first recognized 1886 - Disease first described by Adolf Weil Famous Victim: Olympic Gold Medal-winning rower Andy Holmes, October 2010
 * Historical Background:**

__Phase I:__ High Fever Vomiting Muscular Aches Abdominal Pain Diarrhea Rash
 * Common Symptoms:**

__Phase II:__ Kidney Failure Liver Failure Death

Antibiotics: Penicillin Tetracycline Chloramphenicol Erythromycin
 * Standard Treatments:**

Major Research into feasibility of vaccinations, other research in rapid detection technologies in impoverished countries (References 3, 5)
 * Current Research:**

1.) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (January 2012). Leptospirosis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Online. http://www.cdc.gov/leptospirosis/symptoms/index.html
 * References:**

2.) Green-McKenzie, Judith. (July 2012). Leptospirosis in Emergency Medicine. MedScape. Online. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/788751-overview

3.) Guerra, Marta A. (September 2013). Leptospirosis: Public health perspectives. Biologicals. (41:5) 295-297.

4.) Henley, Jon. (October 2010). Weil’s disease: the cause, the symptoms and the precautions to take. The Guardian. Online. http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/oct/26/weils-disease-andy-holmes

5.) Picardeau, M., Bertherat, E., Jancloes, M., Skouloudis, A. N., Durski, K., Hartskeerl, R. A. (October 2013). Rapid tests for diagnosis of leptospirosis: current tools and emerging technologies. Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease. (77:4) 283-384.

6.) Mount Sinai Hospital. (2013). Leptospirosis. EBSCO Publishing. Online. http://www.mountsinai.org/patient-care/health-library/diseases-and-conditions/leptospirosis