Leptospirosis??
Leptospirosis (also known as Weil's syndrome, canicola fever, canefield fever, nanukayami fever, 7-day fever, Rat Catcher's Yellows, Fort Bragg fever, black jaundice, and Pretibial fever) is caused by infection with bacteria of the genus Leptospira and affects humans as well as other animals.
Leptospirosis is among the world's most common diseases transmitted to people from animals. The infection is commonly transmitted to humans by allowing water that has been contaminated by animal urine to come in contact with unhealed breaks in the skin, the eyes, or with the mucous membranes. Outside of tropical areas, leptospirosis cases have a relatively distinct seasonality with most cases occurring in spring and autumn.
What are leptospirosis symptoms and signs?
Leptospirosis symptoms begin from two to 25 days after initial direct exposure to the urine or tissue of an infected animal. This can even occur via contaminated soil or water. Veterinarians, pet shop owners, sewage workers, and farm employees are at particularly high risk. People participating in outdoor sporting activities like canoeing, rafting, hiking, and camping can also come into contact with contaminated water or soil.
The illness typically progresses through two phases:
1. The first phase of nonspecific flu-like symptoms includes headaches, muscle aches, eye pain with bright lights, followed by chills and fever. Watering and redness of the eyes occurs and symptoms seem to improve by the fifth to ninth day.
2. The second phase begins after a few days of feeling well. The initial symptoms recur 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 areaabdominal pain may occur. Less common symptoms relate to disease of the liver, lungs, kidneys, and heart.
Leptospirosis associated with liver and kidney disease is called Weil's syndrome and is characterized by yellowing of the eyes (jaundice). Patients with Weil's syndrome can also develop kidney disease and have more serious involvement of the organs affected.
How is it diagnosed?
A doctor may suspect leptospirosis in someone who develops symptoms usually one to two weeks after exposure. Confirmation of leptospirosis is usually by a blood test that shows exposure to leptospira bacteria. In general, two blood tests taken more than two weeks apart are required to make the diagnosis. Occasionally, the bacteria can be grown from blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and urine.
If you become sick in the weeks following possible exposure to animal urine or a contaminated environment, it is important to tell your doctor about the exposure.
How is it treated?
Leptospirosis is commonly treated with antibiotics such as doxycycline or penicillin. Because the testing can take some time and the disease can be severe, a doctor may choose to start antibiotics prior to confirming the diagnosis with tests. Antibiotic treatment is thought to be most effective if started early in the disease.
A doctor may suspect leptospirosis in someone who develops symptoms usually one to two weeks after exposure. Confirmation of leptospirosis is usually by a blood test that shows exposure to leptospira bacteria. In general, two blood tests taken more than two weeks apart are required to make the diagnosis. Occasionally, the bacteria can be grown from blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and urine.
If you become sick in the weeks following possible exposure to animal urine or a contaminated environment, it is important to tell your doctor about the exposure.
How is it treated?
Leptospirosis is commonly treated with antibiotics such as doxycycline or penicillin. Because the testing can take some time and the disease can be severe, a doctor may choose to start antibiotics prior to confirming the diagnosis with tests. Antibiotic treatment is thought to be most effective if started early in the disease.
Here also a good article that you all can read in Malay lang: http://www.konsumerkini.net.my/v1/index.php/berita-terkini/kesihatan/376-bahaya-penyakit-leptospirosis-kencing-tikus
References:
1. http://www.cdc.gov/leptospirosis/infection/index.html
2. http://www.medicinenet.com/leptospirosis/article.htm
Kesimpulannyer.. jaga kebersihan.. make sure you all pergi tempat yang bersih.. tempat riadah pon bersih.. cuci tangan.. walaupon kita tahu ajal maut itu di tangan tuhan.. Tapi, insyaAllah, kita cuba untuk mengelak perkara yang tak diingini berlaku..
2. http://www.medicinenet.com/leptospirosis/article.htm
Kesimpulannyer.. jaga kebersihan.. make sure you all pergi tempat yang bersih.. tempat riadah pon bersih.. cuci tangan.. walaupon kita tahu ajal maut itu di tangan tuhan.. Tapi, insyaAllah, kita cuba untuk mengelak perkara yang tak diingini berlaku..
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