Infectious diseases >>>> Leptospirosis - causes of infection and prevention

Leptospirosis - causes of infection and prevention.

Leptospirosis is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium of the spirochete class, Leptospira, whose natural habitat is wetlands. This is a zoonotic disease, that is, rodents are carriers, game animals and livestock become infected.

A person can become infected with leptospirosis:

swimming in reservoirs with stagnant water, drinking water from natural sources (streams, lakes),
consuming thermally unprocessed meat and dairy products of infected animals,
eating foods eaten by rodents,
in contact with infected animals.

A person is not a carrier of leptospirosis and is not able to infect other people.

Leptospira love a humid environment and are resistant to low temperatures, but they die when boiled, UV-irradiated, dried. Leptospira are sensitive to antiseptics and antibiotics.

Penetrating by the oral route and through the skin and mucous barriers, leptospira affects the parenchyma of the kidneys, liver, spleen, multiplies in these organs and is carried with the blood flow along the vascular bed, destroying the walls of the capillaries and causing capillary bleeding (hemorrhagic syndrome).

To date, two forms of the course of leptospirosis are known: icteric and anicteric.

The anicteric form of leptospirosis manifests itself in the form of general weakness, high temperature, meningeal syndrome, a decrease in the volume of urine excreted by the kidneys, thrombohemorrhagic syndrome (blood clotting disorder), an increase in the affected organs (liver, spleen). The incubation period for anicteric leptospirosis is four to ten days.

The icteric form of leptospirosis begins acutely, without a prodromal period: with a rise in temperature, meningeal syndrome and headaches, myalgia (more often in the muscles of the lower extremities), a decrease in the amount of urine excreted up to its absence. Hemorrhagic syndrome is observed - capillary hemorrhages on the skin of the extremities, in various areas of the skin, in the sclera, nosebleeds. As a result of capillary bleeding, anemia develops. The liver is enlarged and painful on palpation. Jaundice appears. With a severe course of leptospirosis, myalgia in the muscles of the lower extremities makes it difficult for a person to move, renal function is impaired, convulsions may develop, and consciousness is impaired.

Treatment of leptospirosis is based on antibacterial therapy (penicillin, tetracycline series) and the use of specific immunoglobulin. The outcome of the disease depends on timely diagnosis, the virulence of the Leptospira bacteria and the severity of the course of the disease.

During the period of illness, immunity is formed in the body to leptospira, but antibodies appear to a specific strain (serotype) of the bacteria that caused leptospirosis. For this reason, there is always the possibility of re-infection with leptospirosis, but with other strains of the leptospira bacteria.

Prevention of leptospirosis is very important, as it can prevent infection with a serious disease such as leptospirosis. Taking into account the possible presumptive sources of infection with leptospirosis, it is necessary to observe the rules of hygiene and handling of livestock, timely control of rodents (mice and rats), and also be careful when cutting meat and preparing food.

There are vaccines against leptospirosis, which are used for vaccination of animals and people working in conditions conducive to the occurrence of this disease (workers of farms, slaughterhouses, meat processing complexes, dairies and fishing farms, farmers, veterinarians, laboratory assistants). The vaccine is valid for a year.