In Mumbai, a 26-year-old woman is suspected to be the first victim of leptospirosis. Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that spreads through animal to human contact and is considered to be one of the world’s most widespread diseases transmitted by animals to humans. The infection is usually transmitted to humans by water or food which has been contaminated by animal urine and it comes in contact with unhealed breaks in the skin, the eyes, or with the mucous membranes.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), this infectious disease is caused by bacteria which belong to the genus Leptospira. The disease is detected in areas witnessing excessive rainfall or flooding. The diseases can also affect animals and pets. Human-to-human transmission occurs very rarely. The bacteria which cause the zoonotic disease can get into soil or water and can survive there for weeks or months through which they can get transmitted to animals. The risk of infection from leptospirosis also depends upon the amount of its exposure. Due to flooding, the area of exposure also increases. The main occupational groups at risk of leptospirosis include agricultural workers, pet shop workers, veterinarians, sewer workers, abattoir workers, meat handlers, military personnel, survivors of natural disasters, as per WHO.

The incubation period of leptospirosis is between 5 to 14 days. According to the National Health Portal of India (NHP), ‘leptospirosis causes mild flu-like symptoms, such as headache, chills and muscle pain’ in most of the cases. But, in a few cases the infection is more severe and can cause life-threatening problems, including organ failure and internal bleeding. A severe form of leptospirosis is known as Weil’s disease.

Clinically, leptospirosis is very difficult to diagnose, as it can appear to be very similar to many other diseases such as dengue, typhoid and viral hepatitis. A blood test is done to detect antibodies for the bacteria while other tests include Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and MAT (microscopic agglutination test) which is a serological test and is considered to be the gold standard in diagnosing leptospirosis.

In Mumbai till June 25, five leptospirosis cases have been recorded. The health department has recorded 273 cases of H1N1 as of now. In the last few days due to a dry spell, doctors said the weather had become favourable for leptospira bacteria to grow.

According to NHP, leptospirosis can be treated with medicines like Ampicillin, Azithromycin, Ceftriaxone, Doxycycline and Penicillin.

Few tips for prevention:

As there are no WHO pre-qualified vaccines currently available, certain steps to prevent transmission of leptospirosis should be taken as suggested by NHP:

• Wear protective clothing such as masks.
• Cover skin lesions with waterproof dressings.
• Avoid wading or swimming in potentially contaminated water.
• Wash or take a shower after exposure to urine splashes or contaminated soil or water.
• Wash and clean wounds properly.
• Avoid urine splashes and aerosols while touching ill or dead animals or assisting animals in giving birth.
• Maintain strict hygienic measures during care or handling all animals.
• Disinfect contaminated areas such as scrubbing floors in stables, butcheries, etc.
• Consume clean drinking-water.