How to Prevent Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is an infectious disease that can lead to serious illnesses when not treated promptly. It can be transmitted through ingestion of contaminated water or foods. Spirochetes may also enter the body through a break in the skin. Here are some things you should know to avoid this condition.
Signs and Symptoms:
Symptoms may start to appear from the 2nd day of exposure to the 25th day. The disease have 2 phases.
First phase
During this period, you’ll experience non specific symptoms. Most people who develop Leptospirosis, initially thought that what they’re feeling are symptoms of flu.
Fever
Chills
Muscle aches
Headaches
Watery and red eyes
Dry cough
Nausea and Vomiting
Diarrhea
Second Phase
After a period of remission, fever will recur. You’ll also experience stiffness of your neck. Some people develop very serious complications during this stage such as kidney and liver problems. Others also develop meningitis. Here is a list of the less common symptoms you may experience.
Hepatomegaly
Muscle rigidity
Abnormal lung sounds
Pain in the abdomen
Sore throat
Prevention:
Sanitation is very important in the prevention of Leptospirosis. Make sure that you dispose your garbage properly. Rats thrive on left over foods and dirty water.
Rainy season is flood season. When going out, make sure to wear protective gears like gloves and boots.
If you have open wounds, cover it with waterproof dressing when going out in the rain.
Various animals can carry this infection. If you’re in a place where this condition is common or there is an incident of this infection, you might want to research on animals that may be possible hosts of Leptospira. Rats are the most common hosts of Leptospira.
If you’re going to an area where there are case of Leptospirosis, you may want to have prophylaxis treatment. a 200 mg of Doxycycline is the recommended treatment. Consult your health care provider for information on the prophylaxis for Leptospirosis.