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Leptospirosis is treated with antibiotics,
penicillin (Bicillin, Wycillin), doxycycline (Monodox), ibramycin,
or erythromycin (E-mycin, Ery-Tab). As of early 1998, the timing of
antibiotic treatment is controversial. It is generally agreed that
antibiotic treatment during the first few days of illness is helpful.
However, leptospirosis is often not diagnosed until the later stages
of illness. The benefit of antibiotic treatment in the later stages
of disease is controversial. A rare complication of antibiotic
therapy for leptospirosis is the occurrence of the Jarisch-Herxheimer
reaction, which is characterized by fever, chills, headache, and
muscle pain.
Patients with severe illness will require
hospitalization for treatment and monitoring. Medication or other
treatment for pain, fever, vomiting, fluid loss, bleeding, mental
changes, and low blood pressure may be provided. Patients with
kidney failure will require hemodialysis to remove waste products
from the blood. |
