What is Leptospirosis?

About Leptospirosis:

• Leptospirosis, also known as “rat fever”, is a rare bacterial infection that affects people and animals.
• The disease is caused by a bacterium called Leptospira interrogans, or Leptospira.
• It is most common in tropical areas and warmer climates with high rainfall each year.
• Transmission:
  • The carriers of the disease can be either wild or domestic animals, including rodents, cattle, pigs, and dogs.
  • Infected animals spread the bacteria through their urine. They may continue to urinate the bacteria into the environment for several months or years.
  • The bacteria can survive in contaminated water or soil for weeks to months. 
  • It is not spread from person to person, except in very rare cases.
• Symptoms: It generally takes 2-30 days to get sick after having contact with the bacteria. Leptospirosis may occur in two phases.
  • In the first phase, people may have fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, vomiting, or diarrhea. The person may feel better for a while but become ill again.
  • Some people may suffer a more severe second phase with kidney or liver failure, or inflammation of the membrane around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis).
• Treatment: It can be treated with antibiotics, including penicillin and doxycycline.