Leptospirosis

About Leptospirosis:

• It is a potentially fatal zoonotic bacterial disease.
• The disease is caused by a bacterium called Leptospira interrogans, or Leptospira.
• The disease causing bacteria is found in the urine of animals such as rats, cattle, and dogs.
• 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. 
• Transmission:
  • 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.
• According to the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, infected animals can continue to excrete the bacteria into their surroundings for a few months, but sometimes up to several years.
• 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.