What is leptospirosis?

Leptospirosis is a tropical disease and US Centers for disease control and prevention reported 100 to 200 cases in United States and Hawalli in one year.

Leptospirosis infection is caused by bacteria called spirochete. Rats, foxes and many other animals transmit this bacterial infection to human  human through contacts to their infected soil, or water, food and their broken skin remains.

Likely hood of people that get affected with this infection is

• Pet shop owners

•  sewage workers

and those with  outdoor sporting activities like

• canoeing

• rafting

•  hiking

What are symptoms of leptospirosis?

The symptoms begin observed from 2 to   25 days after initial direct exposure to the urine or tissue of an infected animal or  via contaminated soil or water.

The illness progresses through the following stages:

Flu like symptoms includes headaches, muscle aches, eye pain with bright lights chills and fever Watering and redness of the eyes .

You may feel better for some days and initial symptoms re occur with  fever and aching with stiffness of the neck. Some patients develop serious inflammation of the nerves to the eyes, brain, spinal column (meningitis), or other nerves. Right upper area abdominal pain may occur. Less common symptoms relate to disease of the liver, lungs, kidneys, and heart.

Weil's syndrome

Leptospirosis associated with liver and kidney disease is called  Weil's syndrome and is characterized by yellowing of the eyes (jaundice)..

How is leptospirosis diagnosed?

Culture of the bacterial organism form blood samples, spinal fluid or urine. Antibody levels in the blood and this technique is delicate and difficult.

The Treatment

• High doses of antibiotics.

• IV fluid and antibiotic t

• Dialysis treatment

Doctors may choose any of treatment methods depending on the seriousness of the infection.

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