Introduction
At the moment, identifying certain diseases is difficult within the framework of health and welfare. One of the deviations that it is easy enough to confuse with other health problems or not to notice it at all. This disease has a bacterial nature and a relatively low level of awareness among patients. The study of the pathogen of this health issue and the determination of the method of infection and treatment will benefit healthcare providers and society.
Pathogen of the Disease
First of all, it is necessary to gain an understanding of what the health problem under discussion is and what its pathogen is. Studies have noted that leptospirosis is a bacterial disease caused by Leptospira bacteria (Soo et al., 2020). It is dangerous because it has symptoms with such abnormalities as a cold or poisoning. In addition, it can be asymptomatic for many individuals, which poses more significant risks. Thus, the study of this disease and the dissemination of knowledge about it is of critical value.
Historical Account
Leptospirosis has a reasonably long history of occurrence, which causes the existence of several interesting stories about it. One of the facts about the disease is that it played a significant role during the Second World War. Hence, leptospirosis was found in French, German, and British troops. The main reason for this outbreak was standing water and rat infestation, which were characteristic of tropical and subtropical regions (Dubey et al., 2021). The disease was named trench fever and was actively investigated.
Disease Transition
There are several ways in which individuals can become infected with leptospirosis. The most common is the use of contaminated water or food. It is essential to note that individuals who work with livestock become at risk of infection since Leptospira bacteria can be found in the urine of infected animals. Harran et al. (2022) indicated that the disease is prevalent among farmers, rice field workers, travelers, and plumbers.
The primary carrier of leptospirosis among animals is rats. Research pointed out that “humans are incidental hosts and are at greater risk when working or living in environments in proximity with the maintenance hosts, especially rats, and farm animals” (Rajapakse, 2022, p. 15). Moreover, patients can also become infected by contact with contaminated soil if they have cuts or wounds on the body.
Risk Factors for Infection
One of the main factors of the investigated infection is being in a particular occupation. As mentioned earlier, individuals who work in the agricultural industry are at risk. In other words, they are farmers, veterinarians, sewer, cleaning, or maintenance workers. It is also worth noting that the risk factor is being in a territory with a high risk of disease. This aspect concerns travel to countries where a high level of leptospirosis infection is shown through contaminated water or food.
Symptoms
Among the most common symptoms that cause leptospirosis to be confused with other diseases are headache, fever, nausea, and muscle pain. In addition, individuals who have contracted the infection may experience abdominal pain and yellow skin and eyes. Research stated that “acute kidney injury, hepatic derangement, myocardial involvement, and pulmonary hemorrhage are serious complications” (Rajapakse, 2022, p. 14). It is critical to emphasize that the symptoms of the disease can vary from mild to severe.
Treatment Options
Currently, there are several options for treating leptospirosis, the most common of which is antibiotic therapy. Among the most common are doxycycline, penicillin, and azithromycin (Guzmán Pérez et al., 2021). The sooner an individual seeks help, the faster and more effectively medical specialists will be able to treat the infection. With worsening symptoms and adverse effects on other organs, hospitalization and intensive care are possible.
Prevention of Infection
The most crucial aspect that contributes to limiting the number of leptospirosis diseases is the need to spread awareness about avoiding contact with contaminated water and soil. In other words, individuals need to have their own bottled water and packaged food when traveling to areas where the risk of the disease is confirmed. Another preventive measure is the practice of good hygiene, which implies thorough hand washing after contact with animals and the environment. In some countries, vaccines for humans and animals are used as a preventive measure.
Prevalence of Disease
Leptospirosis has a significant prevalence in warm, humid climates. Research showed that it “is highly prevalent in the tropics, with 73% of cases occurring in this zone, in particular in South-East Asia, East Sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, and Oceania” (Rajapakse, 2022, p. 15). Thus, it has less prevalence among drier and colder climatic regions.
Current Events
A study of news sources showed that leptospirosis caused particular concern in the Philippines. It is stated that “the country has logged a total of 2,168 leptospirosis cases from Jan. 1 to July 22 this year, a 52 percent increase from the 1,423 cases during the same period in 2022” (Montemayor, 2023, para. 1). The leading cause of this problem was the contamination of water and food through infected urine or feces of animals.
Image of Disease
When I think about the disease, the image of a sick person comes to mind first, honoring the yellow skin and eyes. Moreover, this person is in a powerless position, constantly holding his head and vomiting. Rats are running around next to him, and there is a glass of muddy water. This idea was formed due to the knowledge of the main symptoms of the occurrence of leptospirosis.
References
Dubey, S., Singh, R., Gupta, B., Patel, R., Soni, D., Dhakad, B. M. S., Reddy, B. M., Gupta, S., & Sharma, N. (2021). Leptospira: An emerging zoonotic pathogen of climate change, global warming and unplanned urbanization: A review. Architecture, 10(17), 54. Web.
Guzmán Pérez, M., Blanch Sancho, J. J., Segura Luque, J. C., Mateos Rodriguez, F., Martínez Alfaro, E., & Solís García del Pozo, J. (2021). Current evidence on the antimicrobial treatment and chemoprophylaxis of human leptospirosis: a meta-analysis. Pathogens, 10(9). Web.
Harran, E., Hilan, C., Djelouadji, Z., & Ayral, F. (2022). Epidemiology of leptospirosis: The first literature Review of the neglected disease in the Middle East. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 7(10). Web.
Montemayor, T. (2023). 233 deaths due to leptospirosis from January to July – DOH. Philippine news Agency. Web.
Rajapakse, S. (2022). Leptospirosis: Clinical aspects. Clinical Medicine, 22(1), 14-17. Web.
Soo, Z. M. P., Khan, N. A., & Siddiqui, R. (2020). Leptospirosis: Increasing importance in developing countries. Acta Tropica, 201. Web.
Loading...
