The study was carried out to define the major clinical presentation and laboratory findings of
human leptospirosis among suspected subjects in Coimbatore, an agricultural and textile industry
area in Tamilnadu, India. In this investigation, suspected cases with a clinically compatible
illness and positive serology (Microscopic Agglutination Test) were included. Detailed
notification form with clinical information and other laboratory data were collected. Ninety
three cases, with a mean age of 46.5 ± 12.4 years and of whom 73 (78.5%) were male, were
recruited. Among this 93, almost all are contact with stagnant water of a farm, within the week
prior to their admission. Fever and Myalgia were the most frequent chief complaint in 65
(69.9%). Of these cases, fever, headache and chills were reported by 93 (100%), 84 (90.3%) and 42
(45.2%) cases respectively. A novel investigation of increased serum creatinine was detected in
31 (33.3%) only in 33% of patients did CPK rise to 3 fold or more above the normal upper limit
and in 67% of patients its level was within the normal upper limit range. Thrombocytopenia
was noticed in 84 (90.3%) and 18 (19.35%) cases had platelets less than 20,000/mm3. Anaemia
was detected in 64 (68.8%). ESR was more than 100 mm/hour in 12 (12.9%) cases. History of the
fever, headache, myalgia and chills that have been in contact with the stagnant water of rice
fields should raise the possibility of leptospirosis in Coimbatore'