Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Penicillin therapy in icteric leptospirosis.

C N Edwards1, G D Nicholson, T A Hassell

  • 1Department of Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies.

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
|October 1, 1988
PubMed
Summary

Penicillin therapy showed little effect on the clinical outcome of icteric leptospirosis. This randomized study found no significant differences in recovery or mortality rates between patients treated with penicillin and those receiving only intravenous fluids.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Simulated versus traditional therapeutic radiography placements: A randomised controlled trial.

Radiography (London, England : 1995)·2020
Same author

An evaluation of techniques used in superficial radiotherapy for non-melanoma skin cancer to replicate the planned treatment area: A prospective study.

Radiography (London, England : 1995)·2019
Same author

Inflammatory bowel disease: incidence, prevalence, and disease characteristics in Barbados, West Indies.

Inflammatory bowel diseases·2008
Same author

Evaluation of a commercial latex agglutination assay for serological diagnosis of leptospirosis.

Journal of clinical microbiology·2006
Same author

A comparison of the objective structured clinical examination results across campuses of the University of the West Indies (2001 and 2002).

The West Indian medical journal·2005
Same author

Serological evidence of hantavirus in humans and rodents in Barbados.

The Journal of infection·2002

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Clinical Medicine
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection caused by Leptospira.
  • Icteric leptospirosis is a severe form of the disease characterized by jaundice.
  • Effective treatment strategies for icteric leptospirosis are crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of penicillin therapy in patients with icteric human leptospirosis.
  • To compare clinical outcomes, laboratory parameters, and mortality rates between penicillin-treated and control groups.
  • To assess the impact of penicillin on Leptospira shedding in urine.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective, controlled randomized study was conducted.
  • Thirty-eight patients received intravenous crystalline penicillin for 5 days.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Forty-one patients served as a control group, receiving intravenous fluids only.

    • Main Results:

    • No significant differences were observed in defervescence time, normalization of biochemical parameters, or incidence of iritis between groups.
    • Mortality rates were similar: 7.3% in the control group and 2.6% in the penicillin group (overall 5.9%).
    • Leptospira was detected in urine cultures of 6 control patients but none post-treatment in the penicillin group.

    Conclusions:

    • Penicillin demonstrated minimal impact on the clinical course and outcomes of icteric leptospirosis.
    • While penicillin may reduce bacterial shedding, its clinical benefit in this severe form of leptospirosis appears limited.
    • Further research may be needed to explore alternative or adjunctive therapies for icteric leptospirosis.