Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis Latest News

Recently, Jamaica has declared an outbreak of leptospirosis following the devastation from Hurricane Melissa. 

About Leptospirosis

• It is a fatal bacterial disease.
• Cause: The disease is caused by a bacterium called Leptospira interrogans, or Leptospira.
• The bacteria can infect humans by entering the body through tiny cracks and wounds in the soles of the feet. 
• Prevalence: It is more prevalent in warm, humid countries and both urban and rural areas. 
• Leptospirosis may occur in two phases
  • After the first phase (symptoms: fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, vomiting, or diarrhoea) the patient may recover for a time but become ill again.
  • If a second phase occurs, it is more severe; the person may have kidney or liver failure or meningitis.
• Treatment: It can be treated with antibiotics.

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Transmission of Leptospirosis

• It is a contagious disease in animals but is occasionally transmitted to humans in certain environmental conditions.
• The carriers of the disease can be either wild or domestic animals, including rodents, cattle, pigs, and dogs.
• The cycle of disease transmission begins with the shedding of leptospira, usually in the urine of infected animals.
• Infected animals can continue to excrete the bacteria into their surroundings for a few months, but sometimes up to several years.

Source: TH