Leptospirosis is a disease caused by Leptospira spirochetes spread by domestic and wild animals, especially rodents and cattle, as well as pigs, horses and dogs. These spirochetes produce endotoxin, which is responsible for the occurrence of fever, circulatory disorders, vascular damage or changes in the parenchymal organs, nervous system and muscles.

Leptospirosisis an infectious disease that is primarily exposed to miners, plumbers, sewage cleaning workers, farmers, people who bathe in contaminated water bodies and come into contact with faeces infected animals.Leptospirosis coilstolerate low temperatures and even freezing well. They can survive up to several weeks in dirty stagnant water or moist soil. The source of infection is the urine of sick animals. Most often, infection occurs through damaged skin.

Symptoms of leptospirosis

When germs enter the bloodstream, the main symptoms are:

  • high fever
  • chills
  • headaches, muscle and joint pains
  • conjunctiva and throat mucosa congestion
  • herpes labialis
  • skin erythema
  • variegated rash

After the initial symptoms, the fever decreases and there is a temporary improvement in he alth. The spirochetes then disappear from the bloodstream and begin to locate in various organs and tissues, causing toxic and inflammatory changes. After some time, the fever increases again, and the so-called jaundice disease with inflammation in the liver, kidneys, meninges, heart or lungs.

Complications of leptospirosis

  • damage to the liver and kidneys (Weil's syndrome), manifested by jaundice and hematuria, proteinuria, the appearance of rolls in the sediment
  • vasculitis, causing nosebleeds, haemoptysis and skin ecchymosis
  • myocarditis
  • pneumonia
  • acute respiratory failure
  • Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction, appearing as a result of toxins secreted by bacteria killed with antibiotics (fever, headache, chills, muscle and bone pain, itching, nausea and vomiting, and skin rashes)

How to detectleptospirosis?

Disease is detected on the basis of symptoms, community history, and bacteriological and serological tests.

Read also:

  • What can you get infected from a dog?
  • What can you get infected from a cat?

Treatment of leptospirosis

Treatment of leptospirosis is possible only in hospitals, in observation and infectious wards. Antibiotics are used: penicillin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol or cephalosporins. Treatment takes up to several weeks. Hemodialysis is essential in severely damaged kidneys. Death can occur due to renal failure and bleeding.

How to protect yourself against leptospirosis?

In order to prevent infection with spirochetes, avoid swimming in contaminated water that may be contaminated with animal urine, always wear protective clothing and footwear (this applies to people working in professions particularly exposed to infection), be especially careful during contact with water from sewers and sewage, in wet meadows, during haymaking or in food factories.

Category:

Infectious diseases