Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease. It’s caused by the Leptospira bacteria and is passed from animals to humans. A disease that is passed from animals to humans is known as a zoonotic disease. The Leptospira bacteria enters through the eyes, nose, and mouth, and through openings in the skin like a cut. Humans can be infected with leptospirosis when they come in contact with an animal’s bodily fluids, including urine or reproductive fluids. The animal does not have to be showing signs of infection to pass the Leptospira bacteria to a human.
Drinking contaminated water or eating contaminated foods are other common ways to get leptospirosis. While it is possible to get leptospirosis anywhere, it is more common in certain countries. These include Australia, New Zealand, South and Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean, parts of Central and South America, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
The amount of leptospirosis infections in South Africa each year is believed to be fairly high. Although the amount of people with leptospirosis dropped over a 5-year study, 12.5% of the population of South Africa had leptospirosis in 2011, and the actual number is believed to be much higher.
There are two stages of leptospirosis, the acute phase (also known as the leptospiremic phase) and the delayed phase (also known as the immune phase). Each has its own set of symptoms. It’s important to note that not everyone has symptoms, and only a very small number of people with symptoms ever experience the delayed phase.
The acute phase comes on suddenly anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks after infection and will last 7 days on average, although it may be a little shorter or a little longer. In this phase, the Leptospira bacteria are already in your bloodstream. Acute phase symptoms include:
The delayed phase begins once the bacteria makes it to your organs and it is very rare. A person may experience the delayed phase if leptospirosis was not treated. At this point, the bacteria is most concentrated in the kidneys. The kidneys produce urine and are responsible for cleaning out the body of unwanted material, like bacteria.
Symptoms of the delayed phase include:
Leptospirosis is caused by the Leptospira bacteria. Humans are infected by direct contact with bodily fluids from infected animals or indirect contact. Indirect contact can include drinking water contaminated with animal urine, for example, or eating foods that have been exposed to animal urine.
Risk factors for leptospirosis include:
A medical professional will diagnose leptospirosis with a physical exam and take a full medical history, as well as some tests. Your doctor will want to know where you’ve travelled recently, if anywhere, and if you could have come in contact with contaminated food, water, or a sick animal. Your blood and urine will be tested for the Leptospira bacteria to confirm the diagnosis of leptospirosis.
Most cases of leptospirosis are treated with antibiotics. If you have a more severe case of leptospirosis, you may need a breathing tube to assist with breathing. You may also need to receive donor plasma if organ damage is likely. Keep in mind that these interventions are only necessary in the most severe cases.