Haemoglobin and red cell counts in leptospirosis patients infected with different serovars

• Main Authors: Scott Benjamin Craig, Lee Douglas Smythe, Glenn Charles Graham, Mary-Anne Burns, Jamie Lee McMahon, Michael Francis Dohnt, Suhella Mohan Tulsiani, David Brian McKay
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2013
• Subjects: Leptospirosis; Haemoglobin; Red cell count; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic; Queensland
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/65ba593a859542bc91def9f4beeedebd

Introduction The aim of the study was to compare haemoglobin and red cell counts between patients known to be infected with a range of leptospiral serovars. Methods The study retrospectively compared the haemoglobin and red cell count results from the first blood samples taken from 207 patients at presentation to a Queensland Health hospital. Results Significant differences were observed in haemoglobin and red cell counts in those infected with Leptospira interrogans serovars Szwajizak and Canicola when compared with most of the other serovars. Conclusions These findings suggest that haemoglobin and red cell counts may be useful in differentiating leptospiral serovars in leptospirosis patients.