Leptospirosis Prevalence and Risk Factors Among Patients Presenting With Fever to 4 Healthcare Sites in Sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia: An International Multisite Observational and Nested Case-Control Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

We investigated the prevalence, diversity, and risk factors for acute leptospirosis in the Febrile Illness Evaluation in a Broad Range of Endemicities (FIEBRE) study.

Methods

Febrile patients aged ≥2 months in Laos, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe underwent a standardized clinical and exposure assessment. Acute and convalescent serum were tested by Leptospira microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and acute plasma by lfb1 polymerase chain reaction. A ≥4-fold rise in antibody titer, or a single reciprocal titer ≥800, or Leptospira PCR positive defined confirmed leptospirosis. The identity of possible infecting strains was investigated by MAT and sequencing of PCR products.

Results

Of 7851 febrile participants enrolled, 134 (1.7%) had confirmed leptospirosis:

SUBMITTER: Crump JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12811888 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature