Leptospirosis

This is a common zoonotic disease caused by microorganisms – leptospires. They are gram-negative spiral bacteria of the Leptospira genus of the Spirochetaceae family. There are two species of the Leptospira genus: non-pathogenic Leptospira biflexa and pathogenic Leptospira interrogans. More than 200 serological types of the latter species have been identified, which, based on relatedness, are divided into 23 serogroups. Pathogenic leptospires can survive in water bodies for up to 30 days, in moist soil for 280 days, in food products for 2 days, and are not killed by cold. They are sensitive to ultraviolet sunlight, high temperatures, disinfectants, and acidic solutions. The mode of transmission is through skin, especially damaged skin, or mucous membrane contact with water, soil, or vegetation contaminated with infected animal urine. Sometimes infection can occur by consuming food contaminated with rodent urine, or by inhaling aerosol droplets of contaminated fluid. Human-to-human transmission is very rare. The disease is widespread worldwide, except in polar regions. Occupational risk factors for this disease include farmers, agricultural workers, sewage and wastewater system workers, land improvement workers, livestock workers, veterinarians, abattoir workers, and fish processing plant workers. There are no specific clinical features unique to leptospirosis. Leptospirosis causes fever, intoxication, severe muscle pain (usually in the calves and thighs), redness of the conjunctiva, and liver and kidney damage. In rare cases, meningitis, jaundice, rash in the groin area, hemolytic anemia, and myocarditis are possible. The most severe form of the disease is kidney and liver failure or bleeding into internal organs. Serological testing is the main diagnostic method. The most commonly performed test is the microagglutination reaction using antigens of certain serogroups of live leptospires.

Source | Glossary of Most Commonly Used Biomedical Terms and Concepts | Lithuanian University of Health Sciences | Academician Professor Antanas Praškevičius, Professor Laima Ivanovienė