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Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease spread through contact with infected animal urine or contaminated water or soil. It can cause high fever, severe headaches, jaundice and internal bleeding. The bacteria is found in many wild and domestic animals like rodents, dogs and cattle. Farmers, soldiers and others working outdoors face risk of exposure. Cases are seen worldwide but are most common in tropical regions during rainy seasons. While actual cases vary globally from very rare to over 10 per 100,000 people annually, it often goes undiagnosed. Preventing exposure to infected animals or water and prompt antibiotic treatment for diagnosed cases can control spread.

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46 views

Water Relate Who

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease spread through contact with infected animal urine or contaminated water or soil. It can cause high fever, severe headaches, jaundice and internal bleeding. The bacteria is found in many wild and domestic animals like rodents, dogs and cattle. Farmers, soldiers and others working outdoors face risk of exposure. Cases are seen worldwide but are most common in tropical regions during rainy seasons. While actual cases vary globally from very rare to over 10 per 100,000 people annually, it often goes undiagnosed. Preventing exposure to infected animals or water and prompt antibiotic treatment for diagnosed cases can control spread.

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guru_mccool
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Water-related Diseases

Leptospirosis

The disease and how it affects people

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that affects both humans and animals. The early stages of the disease
may include high fever, severe headache, muscle pain, chills, and redness in the eyes, abdominal pain,
jaundice, haemorrhages in skin and mucous membranes (including pulmonary bleeding), vomiting,
diarrhoea and a rash.

The cause

Pathogenic Leptospira spp. causes leptospirosis. Human infection occurs through direct contact with the
urine of infected animals or by contact with a urine-contaminated environment, such as surface water, soil
and plants. The causative organisms have been found in a variety of both wild and domestic animals,
including rodents, insectivores, dogs, cattle, pigs and horses. Leptospires can gain entry through cuts and
abrasions in the skin and through mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and mouth. Human-to-human
transmission occurs only rarely.

Distribution

Leptospirosis occurs worldwide, in both rural and urban areas and in temperate and tropical climates. It is
an occupational hazard for people who work outdoors or with animals, such as rice and sugar-cane field
workers, farmers, sewer workers, veterinarians, dairy workers and military personnel. It is also a
recreational hazard to those who swim or wade in contaminated waters. In endemic areas the number of
leptospirosis cases may peak during the rainy season and even may reach epidemic proportions in case of
flooding.

Scope of the Problem

The number of human cases worldwide is not well-documented. It probably ranges from 0.1 to 1 per 100
000 per year in temperate climates to 10 or more per 100 000 per year in the humid tropics. During
outbreaks and in high-risk groups, 100 or more per 100 000 may be infected. For several reasons
leptospirosis is overlooked and consequently underreported in many areas of the world. In the wake of
hurricane Mitch in 1995, an outbreak of leptospirosis with pulmonary haemorrhages was reported in
Nicaragua. In 1998, there was an outbreak in the continental United States. 1998 also saw an outbreak in
Peru and Ecuador following heavy flooding. A post-cyclone outbreak was reported in Orissa, India in 1999.

Interventions

The disease is often difficult to diagnose clinically; laboratory support is indispensable. Treatment with
appropriate antibiotics should be initiated as early as possible. Untreated cases can progress to a more
severe and potentially fatal stage. Preventive measures must be based on a knowledge of the groups at
particular risk of infection and the relevant local epidemiological factors. For intervention one may:

 aim at control at the level of the infection source (e.g. rodent control, animal vaccination);
 interrupt the transmission route (e.g. wearing protective clothing, refrain from contact with infected
animals and from swimming in contaminated water, provide clean drinking-water); or
 prevent infection or disease in the human host (e.g. vaccination, antibiotic prophylaxis, information
to doctors, veterinarians, risk groups and the general population).

Prepared for World Water Day 2001. Reviewed by staff and experts from the cluster on Communicable
Diseases (CDS) and Water, Sanitation and Health unit (WSH), World Health Organization (WHO).

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