Transcript Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis [lep-to-spy-RO-sis].
What is Leptospirosis?
•Leptospirosis is a potentially serious illness that can
effect many parts of the Body.
•Leptospirosis is caused by Leptospira interrogans, a
corkscrew-shaped bacterium (spirochete).
Leptospirosis
Medical professional’s Checkpoint!!
• “The infection may progress rapidly to fatal septicemic
multisystemic failure or remain as a barely detectable
subclinical illness. There is no reliable method to identify
the final route of the infection from the initial stage of
the disease, and all cases must be treated as potentially
life-threatening.”
Leptospirosis
Facts about the bacteria.
• The bacteria themselves cannot survive for very long
unless immersed in fresh water or urine.
• Unlike viruses, bacteria are rarely airborne. They must
exist immersed in water, and so except in very high
vapour situations airborne infection is not a risk.
Leptospirosis
Facts about the bacteria.
• There are over 200 variations of leptospira bacterium
that can cause the disease. There are numerous types
which are known to cause ONLY mild infection.
• All infections are classified into Icteric or Anicteric
forms.
Leptospirosis
The infection Types
• The Anicteric is the most common type of infection. This
type is generally not Fatal, though simultaneous
infections or unrelated infections may prove fatal.
• The Icteric ‘Weils’ infection is comparatively rare; can be
fatal in severe cases, and accounts for 5 to 13% of all
recorded cases.
Leptospirosis
Features of Human Infection.
• The infection follows a biphasic course, for the first 3 to
7 days , the septic phase, the bacterium spreads
throughout the blood, CSF and most body tissues.
• Early symptoms are fever, chills, muscular aches and
pains, loss of appetite, and nausea when lying down.
• Every infection has identical initial dynamics.
Leptospirosis
Features of Human Infection.
• From 10 to 30 days the Immune phase sees the
removal of the bacterium from the blood and CSF, but
remains in the urine.
• During this stage many of the body systems show
detriment.
Leptospirosis
Features of Human Infection.
• Later symptoms include bruising of the skin, anaemia,
sore eyes, nose bleeds and in severe cases jaundice,
this is know as ‘Weils Disease’.
• Recovery from an infection, once the serious stages are
passed is usually within 6 to 12 weeks.
Leptospirosis
Where is Leptospirosis found?
• Leptospirosis causing bacteria are common Worldwide,
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Especially in the tropical countries with heavy rain fall.
(Ireland).
Infected rodents and other wild and domestic animals
pass the bacteria in their urine.
The bacteria can live for a long time in fresh water,
damp soil, vegetation, and mud.
Flooding after heavy rainfall helps spread the bacteria in
the environment.
Leptospirosis
Getting infected?
• In order to become infected, a quantity of the leptospira
bacteria must enter your body.
• The main routes for any bacteria to enter a human are
through ingestion, inhalation, or through broken skin.
• Acquiring a leptosprial infection is not as easy as other
infections, and a great deal harder than contracting
some viral infections such as the common cold.
Leptospirosis
Risk Situations.
• Thousands of sportsmen and underground/waterway
workers are exposed to contaminated areas every day
and the incidents of serious infection are low.
• Clearly the majority of high-risk sites will have rat
populations and an area of fresh water.
Leptospirosis
High Risk Situations.
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Swimming and scuba diving.
Kayaking and canoeing.
Sailing, windsurfing, fishing and skiing.
Caving and underground exploration.
Cleaning and jetting operations.
Animal handling, control and management.
Leptospirosis
Medical professional’s Guidance
• The infection is extremely easy to miss in initial stages;
often the symptoms are misdiagnosed as influenza, viral
illness or Pyrexia of unknown origin.
• Patients often ignore the significance of their symptoms
unless prior education.
• To allow for correct diagnosis the patient must inform of
having any potential or prior contact with affected areas.
Leptospirosis
Other Facts
• An infection from one strain will provide immunity but
only to that strain.
• Exposure to other strains will still cause infection. It is
usual for more than one strain to exist within a specific
population of infected animals.
• Immunity to one type is no great advantage to reducing
your risk
Leptospirosis
Urban myths – the facts:
• Human to human transfer is almost unheard of.
• Saltwater, or freshwater treated with chlorine or UV
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sterilised, is generally safe.
Any surface or object dried out completely for over an
hour even if it gets wet once more, the bacteria will
remain dead.
Rats are the most common carriers, but all mammals are
susceptible to the illness.
Almost every “routine” disinfectant methods will kill the
bacteria.
There is no human vaccine licensed for use in Europe,
Asia or the USA