Contents:
- Medical Video: Leptospirosis : Treatment and Symptoms : New kit the cost per test will only be Rs. 50
- How do you spread leptospirosis?
- What are the signs and symptoms of leptospirosis?
- Is leptospirosis dangerous?
- How to treat leptospirosis?
- How to prevent leptospirosis?
- Control the source of infection
- Control the transmission route
- Prevent infection in humans
Medical Video: Leptospirosis : Treatment and Symptoms : New kit the cost per test will only be Rs. 50
In this rainy season, many diseases lurk in us, one of which is leptospirosis infection. Leptospirosis is an infection caused by the bacteria leptospira, and this bacterium can attack both animals and humans. This disease is a seasonal disease, many cases of this report are found in the rainy season in tropical countries and at the beginning of autumn in countries with 4 seasons.
Indonesia is one of the countries with many cases of leptospirosis, ranking third in the number of deaths due to leptospirosis. This infection spreads throughout most of Indonesia with the highest incidence along with the rainy season and floods.
How do you spread leptospirosis?
Leptospirosis is transmitted through contact with water, soil, or mud that has been contaminated by the urine of animals infected with leptospira. Long contact with a pool of urine contaminated water or drinking contaminated water can also cause a person to become infected. Sometimes, the bite of an infected animal can also cause transmission. Mice, dogs, pigs, and cows are animals that can transmit leptospirosis. Human-to-human transmission is rarely reported.
These bacteria can then enter through injured skin, or mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, lips, and mouth. People with a high risk of contracting leptospirosis are workers in fields, agriculture, plantations, livestock, mining workers, or veterinarians
What are the signs and symptoms of leptospirosis?
The incubation period of leptospira is around 7-14 days (average 10 days), and symptoms that can arise include:
- Sudden shivering fever
- Headache
- Aches
- Muscle pain, a typical symptom is tenderness in the calf muscle
- Abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting
- Eye irritation and redness accompanied by photophobia (fear of light)
- Skin rashes
In most people, these symptoms can disappear within 5-7 days, but in about 10% patients can fall into dangerous leptospirosis conditions.
Is leptospirosis dangerous?
About 10% of leptospirosis will progress to a more severe condition called Weil's disease, usually occurring after 1-3 days more mild symptoms arise. Symptoms that arise include:
- Yellow fever, can be seen from yellowing skin and eyes with enlarged liver and spleen.
- Kidney failure, kidney cell death.
- Spontaneous bleeding, nosebleeds, bleeding spots on the skin. If there is lung involvement, patients can complain of shortness of breath, chest pain, and bloody cough.
In 50% of patients with severe leptospirosis, infection can spread to the brain causing meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain) and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) which is characterized by neck stiffness, headache, vomiting, until convulsions.
How to treat leptospirosis?
In most cases, leptospirosis is found in mild conditions, carried out treatment using antibiotics for 5-7 days depending on disease response. Antibiotics must be given as soon as possible and must be spent. Stopping antibiotics when symptoms improve can cause bacteria that have not been killed to re-infect. Fever-lowering drugs such as paracetamol and ibuprofen can also be given to reduce symptoms.
In the case of severe leptospirosis, the patient must be treated and observed, sometimes also needed aids such as a ventilator to help breathing, dialysis to replace kidney function, and intravenous fluids as a source of nutrition for the body.
How to prevent leptospirosis?
The action to prevent leptospirosis must be based on the knowledge of those who are at high risk and the environmental factors that influence it. The following prevention methods can be done:
Control the source of infection
- Vaccinate against pets that can get leptospirosis
- Fight wild animals like mice in the environment
- Don't let your pet eat wild rats
Control the transmission route
- Avoid swimming in stagnant water sources that might be contaminated with urine from animals infected with leptospirosis
- Wear footwear when going out of the house
- Make sure the source of drinking water for your bath and drink is clean
Prevent infection in humans
- Vaccination in humans so far has not produced satisfactory results
- Give antibiotics for prevention for those at high risk for contracting
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