Leptospirosis

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  Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that affects humans
and animals. It is caused by bacteria of the
genus Leptospira. In humans, it can cause a wide range of
symptoms, some of which may be mistaken for other
diseases. Some infected persons, however, may have no
What is symptoms at all.
Leptospirosis  Without treatment, Leptospirosis can lead to kidney
damage, meningitis (inflammation of the membrane
around the brain and spinal cord), liver failure, respiratory
distress, and even death.
  The bacteria that cause leptospirosis are spread through
the urine of infected animals, which can get into water or
soil and can survive there for weeks to months. Many
different kinds of wild and domestic animals carry the
bacterium.
 These can include, but are not limited to:

Infection • Cattle
• Pigs
• Horses
• Dogs
• Rodents
• Wild animals
  When these animals are infected, they may have no
symptoms of the disease.
 Infected animals may continue to excrete the bacteria into
the environment continuously or every once in a while for a
few months up to several years.
 Humans can become infected through:
• Contact with urine (or other body fluids, except saliva) from
Infection infected animals.
• Contact with water, soil, or food contaminated with the urine
of infected animals.
 The bacteria can enter the body through skin or mucous
membranes (eyes, nose, or mouth), especially if the skin is
broken from a cut or scratch. Drinking contaminated water
can also cause infection. Outbreaks of leptospirosis are
usually caused by exposure to contaminated water, such as
floodwaters. Person to person transmission is rare.
  In humans, Leptospirosis can cause a wide range of
symptoms, including:
• High fever
• Headache
• Chills

Signs and • Muscle aches

Symptoms • Vomiting
• Jaundice (yellow skin and eyes)
• Red eyes
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Rash
  Many of these symptoms can be mistaken for other
diseases. In addition, some infected persons may have no
symptoms at all.
 The time between a person’s exposure to a contaminated
source and becoming sick is 2 days to 4 weeks. Illness
usually begins abruptly with fever and other symptoms.
Signs and Leptospirosis may occur in two phases:

Symptoms • After the first phase (with fever, chills, headache, muscle
aches, vomiting, or diarrhea) 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.
 The illness lasts from a few days to 3 weeks or longer.
Without treatment, recovery may take several months.
  Leptospirosis occurs worldwide, but is most common in
temperate or tropical climates. It is an occupational
hazard for many people who work outdoors or with
animals, such as:
• Farmers
• Mine workers
Risk of • Sewer workers
Exposure • Slaughterhouse workers
• Veterinarians and animal caretakers
• Fish workers
• Dairy farmers
• Military personnel
  The disease has also been associated with swimming,
wading, kayaking, and rafting in contaminated lakes and
rivers. As such, it is a recreational hazard for campers or
Risk of those who participate in outdoor sports. The risk is likely
greater for those who participate in these activities in
Exposure tropical or temperate climates.
 In addition, incidence of Leptospirosis infection among
urban children appears to be increasing.
  Leptospirosis is a disease that can affect human and
animals, including your pets. All animals can potentially
become infected with Leptospirosis. While for many years
occurrence among pets was rare, the disease has been
diagnosed more frequently in the past few years. See
below for information on how to protect yourself and your
Prevention in pets from leptospirosis and what to do if your pet
becomes infected.
Pets  Infection- the bacteria that cause Leptospirosis are spread
through the urine of infected animals, which can get into
water or soil and can survive there for weeks to months.
 Signs and Symptoms- the clinical signs of Leptospirosis
vary and are nonspecific. Sometimes pets do not have any
symptoms.
  Treatment- If your pet has been confirmed by your veterinarian as
having leptospirosis, the appropriate action to take will depend on
Prevention in the nature of contact with your pet. Normal daily activities with
your pet will not put you at high risk for leptospirosis infection.
Pets  Prevention- To help prevent Leptospirosis infection, keep rodent
problems (rats, mice, or other animal pests) under control.
  The risk of acquiring leptospirosis can be greatly reduced by not
swimming or wading in water that might be contaminated with
animal urine, or eliminating contact with potentially infected
animals.
Prevention
 Protective clothing or footwear should be worn by those exposed
to contaminated water or soil because of their job or recreational
activities.
  Leptospirosis is treated with antibiotics, such as doxycycline or
penicillin, which should be given early in the course of the disease.
Treatment
 Intravenous antibiotics may be required for persons with more
severe symptoms. Persons with symptoms suggestive of
leptospirosis should contact a health care provider.
  Clinical Features
Technical  Symptoms of leptospirosis include fever, headache, chills,
Information muscle aches, vomiting/diarrhea, cough, conjunctival
suffusion, jaundice, and sometimes a rash. The incubation
for period is usually 5–14 days, with a range of 2–30 days. If
not treated, the patient could develop kidney failure,
Leptospirosis meningitis, liver damage, and respiratory distress. In some
cases, death occurs.
  Etiologic Agent

Technical  Leptospires are long, thin, motile spirochetes. They are spread in
the urine of animal hosts and survive well in fresh water, wet soil,
Information and mud in warm areas. Organisms are antigenically complex,
with over 300 known pathogenic serologic variants. Specific
for leptospiral serovars and species can vary by geographic region.
Leptospirosis The serologic characterization of an isolate is not an absolute
predictor of its species designation and cannot be definitively
determined by serologic testing.
  Leptospirosis can be diagnosed by the clinical manifestation
culture of the organism examination of blood and CSF during the
Nursing first week of illness and urine after the 10 day.
 To diagnose leptospirosis by serologic testing, one blood sample
Diagnosis should be obtained upon presentation (ie, an acute sample) and a
sample should be obtained 7 to 14 days after the first antibody test
is sent (ie, a convalescent sample).