Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis General Information

Leptospirosis is the generic medical term given to an infection with the Leptospira bacteria. The infection is spread from carrier animals, such as cattle, horses, pigs, dogs, wild animals and rodents which may carry the disease but show no symptoms, and humans get it by means of ingesting infected water or food or through skin contact with a contaminated area, especially if the skin has any lesions in the contact area. Mucosal surfaces have shown a particular permeability to such infections, the bacteria entering the body more easily through the nose or mouth. Eye contact can also be particularly hazardous. This disease is not transmitted from one person to another.

Leptospirosis is a very common disease across the world, and more so in areas from the tropical and temperate clime zones. Some people are more exposed to the infection, namely people who regularly come in contact with animal urine – such as farmers, veterinarians, sewer workers, fish workers and military personnel. However, campers or people participating in outdoor sporting events have an increased risk of infection as well. Swimming, rafting or wading are such activities that may expose an individual to the infection. Children from the urban environment also tend to get infected often.

It is highly advised that if you are performing any activities in an area that presents a high risk of contamination, you should make sure that you employ the necessary protective measures in order to prevent an infection from occurring.

Leptospirosis Symptoms

Leptospirosis is known to cause a large array of symptoms, depending on the age, medical history and general health condition of the patient, as well as the infected organism’s way of reacting to the disease. In certain cases, the disease may also be asymptomatic, as it has been recorded on several occasions. Generally, the symptoms appear within 2 to 14 days from the date of contact with the contaminated area; the patient experiences an abrupt rise in body temperature (fever), along with an outbreak of chills, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea and muscle pains. Jaundice and bloodshot eyes are also common in such cases. The patient’s condition may seem to improve after a while, but then the patient will suffer a relapse of the disease; the second phase is much more severe if it is allowed to occur. Kidney failure, liver dysfunctions, respiratory affections and meningitis are known to appear in the second phase. Untreated cases will eventually lead to the death of the patient.

It has been determined that the symptoms may last up to a few weeks in the case of a patient with Leptospirosis, however it is best that the situation is brought to the attention of the specialized health care professionals as soon as possible. Generally, the longer the patient goes without treatment, the longer it will take for the treatment to take full effect and for the patient to recover. Many of the symptoms described above can falsely indicate that the patient may be suffering from other medical conditions. In order to correctly determine the situation and place the correct Leptospirosis diagnosis, urine sample testing as well as blood tests, need to be made.

Leptospirosis Treatment

Treatment for Leptospirosis is rather complicated, due to the need of attending two processes that need to be accomplished at the same time – they are eliminating any possible complications that may appear, as well as eliminating the bacteria from the infected organism. Typically the medication of choice is composed of antibiotic drugs (aetiotropics) and may be prescribed in a variety of pills, drops or injections. Some of the drugs that can be prescribed in such situations are Penicillin, Doxycycline, Amoxycillin, Ampicillin or Cefotaxime, and sometimes the prescribing health care specialist may also prescribe Doxycycline as a prophylaxis. Typically, the dosage prescribed is of 100 mg in oral intakes for Doxycycline, to be taken every 12 hours over the course of one week, or Penicillin in doses of 1-1.5 MU that should be administered every 4 hours over the course of one week. As a prophylaxis, Doxycycline can also be administered once a week in a larger dose, of around 200-250 mg. When treating animals with Leptospirosis, penicillin is typically used to cure the blood infection, while Doxycycline is administered as a cure if the animal is only a carrier.

In severe cases of Leptospirosis, the patient may also undergo supportive therapy, and this may be recommended by the examining physician to other patients suffering of Leptospirosis as well. Such therapies may include detoxification, normalization of the hydro-electrolytic balance, salt or glucose solution therapy or dialysis. They have a positive effect on helping the body recover from the disease or can bolster the organism’s defenses helping it fight the infection more effectively. Some cases may require procedures to elevate the serum potassium levels, however if the potassium level goes to high the patient is exposed to medical risks, and in such cases corrective measures must be taken immediately. It has also been noted that in some cases the serum phosphorus level is likely to increase to hazardous levels due to kidney failure, the patient becoming affected by the medical condition known as hyper-phosphatemia. In such cases, the specialized health care specialists will determine a treatment based on the patient’s general health condition, medical history as well as a number of other factors, in order to return the patient to normal functioning levels.

Such procedures as dialysis or administering calcium carbonate orally may be employed, but it is recommended that in such cases the health care specialists perform a test to determine the serum calcium levels in the patient as the therapy may negatively impact the patient’s health under certain circumstances, due to the fact that the two levels are connected. In cases where the Leptospirosis affected patient presents severe hemorrhagic effects, it has been shown that corticosteroids may help stabilize the patient’s condition when administered in doses that are gradually reduced over the course of 7 to 10 days. Typically, the patient will be administered Prednisolone in initial doses of 30 to 60 mg.

Unfortunately, at this time there is no vaccine against Leptospirosis available for humans. There are a few animal vaccines that prevent infection with a few strains of the bacteria; however they are not sufficient to prevent the spreading of the disease. Furthermore, at this time the vaccine is only affective for a few months. Specialists are currently researching a vaccine that would completely prevent the disease, both in human patient as well as in animals.