Simon Hultman, of Pahoa, died Jan. 26 after spending the holidays visiting family and hiking and swimming in Hawai'i. His family had been awaiting test results from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hultman’s sister, Sharon Beauchan, said today that the family was told that he had been exposed to both leptospirosis and a form of dengue fever.

State epidemiologist Dr. Paul Effler confirmed today that autopsy results do show some exposure to dengue fever but he and CDC officials believe the evidence clearly shows leptospirosis as the cause of death.

Hultman, 22, was a senior studying international relations at Washington College, when he became ill after complaining of a fever and died five days later.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that can cause fevers, and in rare cases, death. It is usually transmitted through contact with the urine of infected animals. In Hawai'i, the most common route of transmission is when people wade or swim in fresh water contaminated by animal urine.

While he was home in December, Hultman hiked and swam in various places, including Waipi'o Valley, a known source of leptospirosis.

Beauchan said she and her family will meet next week with state health officials to get details of what the test results mean. "Their feelings are that he died from leptospirosis," she said.

Beachan said the family will hear more about Hultman’s illness on Friday, which would have been his 23rd birthday.

Effler said the tests that show an exposure to dengue fever can be confusing but do not appear to have been a cause of death. "They did not detect the presence of dengue in his tissues at autopsy," he said. "(Hultman) did show signs of both recent exposure and old exposure of dengue."

He said state health officials have remained vigilant on seeking out any other cases of illnesses accompanied by fever on the Big Island since Hultman’s death. "We’re not finding other dengue-like illness."