Pulmonary hemorrhage has been well described as an unique one of clinical manifestations in the epidemic form of human leptospirosis
in Korea and China during past decades. Interestingly, there has been growing recognition of severe form of pulmonary
involvement, often fatal with prominent pulmonary hemorrhage, in outbreaks or sporadics of leptospirosis in several countries since
the late 1990s. The article by Kang et al. in this issue describes clinical spectrum of leptospirosis with the prognosis in cases with
pulmonary involvement in Cheonam Province during the period of 2001 through 2007, It is not known whether the emergence of
severe pulmonary hemorrhagic leptospirosis reflects unique virulence properties of specific strains. (Korean J Med 77:450-452,
2009) |