Abstract

Author summaryLeptospirosis is a neglected tropical disease and a public health concern worldwide. Infection in humans usually occurs through direct or indirect contact with the urine of infected animals. Most leptospirosis cases are mild, but between 5-15% of cases can be severe and even fatal, primarily due to delays in diagnosis, misrecognition, inadequate treatment, or pathogenicity of some strains. The factors associated with severity could be used to support triaging and avoid preventable medical complications or death. Colombia is an endemic country for leptospirosis, with mandatory laboratory surveillance. Our objective was to determine the demographic and clinical risk factors associated with severe leptospirosis. We used a unique dataset of 201 lab-confirmed leptospirosis cases notified to the National Reference Laboratory with a reported clinical history from several regions in Colombia. The cases presented severe illness (43.3%), ICU admission (30.3%), and fatal (8.5%). Severe leptospirosis was associated with dyspnea, tachycardia, and rash; fatal cases were associated with jaundice. We hope these results raise awareness among healthcare workers and support clinicians in avoiding preventable medical complications or death in human leptospirosis in Colombia and elsewhere.