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| Rare Infectious Disease Cases Surface in Islamabad A Report on Two Instances. |
"Two Cases of Rare Leptospirosis Reported in Islamabad: One Fatality and Successful Recovery"
Recent cases of Leptospirosis, an exceptionally rare infectious disease, have been documented in the federal capital. A 23-year-old man succumbed to the illness, while a woman successfully recovered after treatment at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, according to a national daily.
Prof. Dr. Nasim Akhtar, head of the infectious diseases department, highlighted the rarity of Leptospirosis in Pakistan, describing it as an uncommon bacterial disease. Leptospirosis, caused by the bacterium Leptospira, is a zoonotic and waterborne disease posing a global public threat due to observed morbidity and mortality in animals and humans.
Dr. Akhtar pointed out that outbreaks are typically associated with floods following monsoon rains, during which Leptospira bacteria are washed off in contaminated soil and often settle in water bodies.
The scarcity of the disease is accentuated by the absence of PCR tests for Leptospira detection in Pakistan, along with a lack of Leptospira antibody tests at PIMS and the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad.
After clinical diagnoses, samples from both patients were sent to the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology for confirmation, where a ‘four-fold rise in Leptospira antibodies’ confirmed the infection by this extremely rare pathogen.
Dr. Akhtar, while emphasizing the treatability of Leptospirosis with available antibiotics, urged for the availability of Leptospira PCR and antibody tests at PIMS and NIH Islamabad for timely detection and confirmation, aiding physicians in treating and saving lives.
Both patients exhibited ‘ischemic changes’ in their legs and face, along with gangrene-like wounds in their hands and feet, a manifestation considered unusual in cases of Leptospira infection.
NIH Islamabad officials acknowledged their lack of facilities to detect Leptospira antibodies but clarified that they never received any requests from public health authorities for suspected cases. The NIH official suggested that PIMS could procure kits for ELISA testing, a common technique for antibody detection, as they likely possess the necessary equipment.
Despite being required to conduct public health testing and advanced tests, NIH officials confirmed no knowledge of any confirmed cases of Leptospirosis reported by PIMS, emphasizing the disease’s rarity in diagnoses.
