30 Oct 2024        11:48:11 am

Biology

Leptospirosis

Tags : Leptospirosis

Topic: Diseases

Why in the news?

• Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was diagnosed with bacterial infection leptospirosis. He is being given antibiotics. 
• At present, all vitals of the Chief Minister are stable. All clinical features and pathological tests have shown satisfactory improvement. 
• According to the WHO, leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that affects both humans and animals. Humans become infected through direct contact with the urine of infected animals or with a urine-contaminated environment.

Source: The Hindu 

About Leptospirosis:

• It is also known as “rat fever”.
• It is a rare bacterial infection that affects people and animals.
• It is caused by a bacterium called Leptospira interrogans, or Leptospira.
• It is most common in tropical areas and warmer climates with lots of rainfall each year.
• Transmission:
  • The carriers of the disease can be either wild or domestic animals, including rodents, cattle, pigs, and dogs.
  • Infected animals spread the bacteria through their urine (pee). They may continue to urinate the bacteria into the environment for several months or years.
  • The bacteria can survive in contaminated water or soil for weeks to months. 
  • It is not spread from person to person, except in very rare cases.
• Symptoms: 
  • It generally takes 2-30 days to get sick after having contact with the bacteria. Leptospirosis may occur in two phases.
  • In the first phase, people may have fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, vomiting, or diarrhea. The person may feel better for a while but become ill again.
  • Some people may suffer a more severe second phase with kidney or liver failure, or inflammation of the membrane around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis).
• Treatment: 
  • It can be treated with antibiotics, including penicillin and doxycycline.

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