Cardiac Involvement in Leptospirosis – An Unusual Manifestation

Abstract

Cardiovascular involvement by Leptospira is unusual. We report a case of a 29-year-old male sanitation worker who was diagnosed with leptospirosis (PCR testing for Leptospira spp. was positive in blood and urine). He had no classical clinical findings, and the presence of shock was the main worrisome finding. Within 24 hours of admission, the emergence of chest pain led us to consider cardiac involvement, which was demonstrated by diffuse supra-ST segment elevation, elevated troponin and NT-proBNP and an echocardiogram showing mildly left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF 48–50%). There are several reports of cardiovascular involvement in severe leptospirosis but most patients are asymptomatic. In this case, the main key to diagnosis of perimyocarditis was the new onset of chest pain.

Keywords

• leptospirosis
• perimyocarditis
• cardiac involvement