Practice preventative measures against Leptospirosis

Prevention is always better than cure! By practicing preventative measures, Fijians can protect themselves and contribute to the efforts in combating leptospirosis. Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that affects humans and animals.

It is caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira.

In humans, it can cause a wide range of symptoms, some of which may be mistaken for other diseases.

Some infected persons, however, may have no symptoms at all. Without treatment, leptospirosis can lead to kidney damage, meningitis (inflammation of the membrane around the brain and spinal cord), liver failure, respiratory distress, and even death.

How is it spread?

The bacteria that cause leptospirosis are spread through the urine of infected animals, which can get into water or soil and can survive there for weeks, even months. Many different kinds of wild and domestic animals carry the bacterium.

These can include, but are not limited to:

■Catt●e

■Pigs

■Rats

■Horses

■Dogs

■Mo■goose

When these animals are infected, they may have no symptoms of the disease.

Infected animals may continue to excrete the bacteria into the environment continuously or every once in a while for a few months up to several years.

Humans can become through:

Contact with urine (or other body fluids, except saliva) from infected animals

Contact with water, soil, or food contaminated with the urine of infected animals.

The bacteria can enter the body through skin or mucous membranes (eyes, nose, or mouth), es

infected

pecially if the skin is broken from a cut or scratch.

Drinking water or food contaminated by the leptospirosis bacteria can also cause infection.

Who are at risk?

While in other parts of the world leptospirosis is mostly seen in people who work on farms, or work closely with animals, in Fiji leptospirosis is also a more common infection seen in rural and urban areas.

With increases in severe weather events due to climate change, leptospirosis is becoming even more prevalent than in the past.

Anyone can get leptospirosis if they are exposed to the urine of infected animals, but in Fiji the disease is most commonly seen in people between the age of adolescence to 45, as this is the age group more likely to be active outdoors e.g. swimming in rivers, wading in muddy areas.

In Fiji, the rainy season also increases the risk of leptospirosis, due to higher rainfall, which increases the risk of contaminated animal urine washing into waterways and mud/soil.

Leptospirosis Phases

There are two phases of leptospirosis:

Leptospiremic phase. During this phase, you’ll suddenly have symptoms that feel a lot like the flu.

They’ll start a couple of days to a couple of weeks after you’re first exposed to the leptospira bacteria.

Symptoms can last for up to 10 days.

Immune phase. Once you reach this phase, the leptospira bacteria is now in your organs, especially your kidneys.

The bacteria will show up in urine tests, and your body will build up protection (antibodies) against the bacteria.

It’s possible that you could get sick during this phase with another illness called Weil’s syndrome, which causes internal bleeding, kidney damage, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). Source: Ministry of Health and Medical Services