Leptospirosis

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.
• 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.
• 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.