Ocular and cutaneous manifestation of leptospirosis acquired in Albania: A retrospective analysis with implications for travel medicine

SummaryAlbania is an attractive tourism destination with an increasing volume of travel. As a Mediterranean country some tropical infectious diseases are present in certain areas of Albania, including leptospirosis, which is a zoonotic infectious disease prevalent around the world. The goal of this retrospective study is to describe the ocular and cutaneous manifestations of leptospirosis in Albanian patients and raise awareness to travelers travelling in and out of the country.MethodsWe retrospectively studied 107 cases of leptospirosis, treated at “Mother Teresa” University Hospital Center, in Tirana, Albania between January 2009 and December 2014. All cases included in the analysis had a clinical and epidemiological presentation suggestive of leptospirosis, confirmed with ELISA (enzyme linked immunoassay) positive for IgM antibodies against Leptospira.ResultsThere were 89.7% males (n = 96) and 10.2% females (n = 11). Mean age at the time of diagnoses was 43.7 ± 17.8 years old (range 17–78). All patients were native and residents of Albania. Conjunctival suffusion was present in 81.3% of the cases, whereas subconjunctival hemorrhage was seen in 12 patients (11.2%). Uveitis was seen in 38.3% of the cases and all patients with uveitis presented a severe systemic disease. A cutaneous rash was present in 58.8% of patients. Other cutaneous manifestations include jaundice in 62.6% and intense pruritus in 5.6% of cases.ConclusionsOcular and cutaneous involvement happens more frequently in patients with Leptospirosis, than it was thought to be. Therefore the clinician should be more careful in his systemic evaluation of the disease.