Red, irregular blotches appear on the skin that are dark red in color, sometimes turning a purple hue. They can appear anywhere on the body but in leptospirosis are often seen on the lower legs and the palatte.
Jaundice (yellow skin and eyes) Red eyes. Abdominal pain. Diarrhea.
Symptoms of leptospirosis are sometimes non-specific and can easily be confused with the flu. Such symptoms include fever, chills, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, or skin rash.
The following diseases should be considered in the differential diagnosis of leptospirosis: influenza, dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever, hanta virus infection, yellow fever and other viral hemorrhagic fevers, rickettsiosis, borreliosis, brucellosis, malaria, pyelonephritis, aseptic meningitis, chemical poisoning, ...
Symptoms of Leptospirosis can develop anytime between 2 days to 4 weeks after being exposed to bacteria causing leptospirosis.
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.
Outbreaks of leptospirosis are usually caused by exposure to contaminated water, such as floodwaters. Person to person transmission is rare.
Although leptospirosis is relatively rare in Australia, it is more common in warm and moist regions such as northeastern NSW and Queensland. About 200 cases are diagnosed nationally each year, although there are likely to be many more undiagnosed cases. Men are affected more often than women.
In most cases, leptospirosis is unpleasant but not life-threatening, like a case of the flu. It rarely lasts more than a week. But about 10% of the time, when you have a severe form of leptospirosis, you'll get better, but then get sick again.
It is often painful and itchy, but unlike with primary conjuntivitis (commonly seen in allergies) there is little generation of excess tear fluid. In leptospirosis the effect will be similar in both eyes – where it displays only on one side it is more indicative of a local eye infection.
Leptospirosis is treatable with antibiotics. If an animal is treated early, it may recover more rapidly and any organ damage may be less severe. Other treatment methods, such as dialysis and hydration therapy may be required.
The most common ways to get infected is urine or contaminated water getting in your eyes, nose, mouth, or broken skin (such as a cut or scratch). You can also get infected by eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water. Some people with leptospirosis do not have any symptoms.
People may pass the bacteria in their urine for about 1 month, although some people may pass it for as long as 5 months. People can also get leptospirosis from other infected people, but this is rare. Leptospirosis can be treated with antibiotics and other medicine.
About 10 percent of people with leptospirosis develop severe disease, including kidney failure and/or liver damage, meningitis, difficulty breathing, and bleeding. Case fatality rate is 5 to 15% in cases with severe clinical illness.
Age Distribution
Reported Leptospirosis cases occur most often in the 25 to 44-year-old age group while hospitalized cases were more consistent across age groups (Figure 2).
People who enjoy outdoor activities where freshwater or wet soil are encountered may be at risk for leptospirosis. This includes swimming, kayaking, rafting and canoeing in freshwater, hiking and camping. Learn how to help prevent infection and stay safe outdoors.
The germ can survive in moist conditions outside the host for many days or even weeks. However, they are readily killed by drying, exposure to detergents, disinfectants, heating to 50 C for five minutes and they only survive for a few hours in salt water.
Medical emergency
Leptospirosis can have serious life threatening effects. Get medical attention if cuts in your skin or your mucous membranes, such as your eyes, have been exposed to the urine of unvaccinated animals or farm animals, or contaminated water or soil.
Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease. In other words, it is contagious to humans. The most likely way humans contract Leptospirosis is via exposure to dog or rat urine. However, any bodily fluid, including vomit and saliva, can transmit the disease.
If you are cleaning surfaces that may be contaminated or have urine from an infected pet on them, use an antibacterial cleaning solution or a solution of 1 part household bleach in 10 parts water. Make sure that your infected pet takes all of its medicine and follow up with your veterinarian.
Wash floors and surfaces with a sanitizing solution like bleach (one-part household bleach and 10 parts water) to kill the bacteria.
To diagnose leptospirosis by serologic testing, one blood sample should be obtained upon presentation (ie, an acute sample) and a second sample should be obtained 7 to 14 days after the first antibody test is sent (ie, a convalescent sample). A four-fold change in IgG titer confirms infection.