| Leptospirosis | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Rat fever,[1] field fever,[2] rat catcher's yellows,[3] pretibial fever[4] |
 | |
| Leptospira magnified 200-fold with a dark-field microscope. | |
| Specialty | Infectious disease |
| Symptoms | None, headaches, muscle pains, fevers[5] |
| Complications | Bleeding from the lungs, meningitis, kidney failure[5][6] |
| Usual onset | One to two weeks[7] |
| Causes | Leptospira typically spread by rodents[8] |
| Risk factors | Exposure to infected animals, especially their urine, or fresh water or damp soil contaminated with infectious urine[8] |
| Diagnostic method | Testing blood for antibodies against the bacterium or its DNA[5] |
| Differential diagnosis | Malaria, enteric fever, rickettsiosis, dengue[9] |
| Prevention | Personal protective equipment, hygiene measures, doxycycline[7] |
| Treatment | Doxycycline, penicillin, ceftriaxone[8] |
| Prognosis | Risk of death ~7.5%[10] |
| Frequency | One million people per year[7][11] |
| Deaths | 58,900 per year[11] |
Leptospirosis is a blood infection caused by the bacteria Leptospira[8] that can infect humans, dogs, rodents and many other wild and domesticated animals.[8] Signs and symptoms can range from none to mild (headaches, muscle pains, and fevers) to severe (bleeding in the lungs or meningitis).[5] Weil's disease, the acute, severe form of leptospirosis, causes the infected individual to become jaundiced (skin and eyes become yellow), develop kidney failure, and bleed.[6] Bleeding from the lungs associated with leptospirosis is known as severe pulmonary haemorrhage syndrome.[5]
More than ten genetic types of Leptospira cause disease in humans.[12] Both wild and domestic animals can spread the disease, most commonly rodents.[8] The bacteria are spread to humans through animal urine, or water or soil contaminated with animal urine, coming into contact with the eyes, mouth, nose or breaks in the skin.[8] In developing countries, the disease occurs most commonly in farmers and low-income people who live in areas with poor sanitation.[5] In developed countries, it occurs during heavy downpours and is a risk to sewage workers[13] and those involved in outdoor activities in warm and wet areas.[5] Diagnosis is typically by testing for antibodies against the bacteria or finding bacterial DNA in the blood.[5]
Efforts to prevent the disease include protective equipment to block contact when working with potentially infected animals, washing after contact, and reducing rodents in areas where people live and work.[7] The antibiotic doxycycline is effective in preventing leptospirosis infection.[7] Human vaccines are of limited usefulness;[14] vaccines for other animals are more widely available.[15] Treatment when infected is with antibiotics such as doxycycline, penicillin, or ceftriaxone.[8] The overall risk of death is 5–10%.[10] However, when the lungs are involved, the risk of death increases to the range of 50–70%.[8]
It is estimated that one million severe cases of leptospirosis in humans occur every year, causing about 58,900 deaths.[11] The disease is most common in tropical areas of the world but may occur anywhere.[7] Outbreaks may arise after heavy rainfall.[7] The disease was first described by physician Adolf Weil in 1886 in Germany.[16][17] Infected animals may have no, mild or severe symptoms.[18] These may vary by the type of animal.[15][18] In some animals Leptospira live in the reproductive tract, leading to transmission during mating.[15]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptospirosis
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