How does Leptospira infection occur?

This is an automatically translated article.

Article written by Doctor Le Xuan Luat - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital.

Leptospira is an acute infectious disease caused by the spirochete Leptospira. The disease can be found in many countries around the world. The disease is transmitted from animals to humans, through the skin and mucous membranes. Leptospira disease is characterized by systemic toxic bacterial infection syndrome, hepatorenal syndrome.

1. Cause

Leptospira is a spirochete of the family Leptospiraceae, with long filaments. The two ends of the spirochete have hooks, which help the spirochete attach and penetrate the host's body. Leptospira causing disease in humans is divided into 23 groups, 240 serotypes. In Vietnam, 15 serotypes have been detected.
According to a study conducted in Tien Giang province in 1998, the prevalence of Leptospira infection was 20% in the community. In a study in 10 provinces in Vietnam in 2019, the prevalence of Leptospira infection in pigs was 21.05%. The spirochetes can survive for months in soil, mud, and pond water.

2. The source of infection with leptospira

Animals such as buffalo, cow, pig, dog, and cat are the source of spirochetes. People get the disease by chance, not the source of the disease. Leptospira infects cows and dogs most, followed by other animals.
Animals infected with Leptospira excrete the bacteria in the urine. The bacteria can survive in the soil for a long time, and infect other animals. Infected animals may not show clinical signs, and they continue to excrete the bacteria in the urine.
People become infected with Leptospira through contact with the urine of Leptospira-infected animals. Or having contact with contaminated water contaminated with Leptospira from animals. Bacteria enter the body through scratches on the skin and mucous membranes.

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The disease can be transmitted through eating, drinking water, or undercooked food containing the spirochete Leptospira. There are very few cases of human-to-human transmission.
The disease is common in the rainy season, when spirochetes circulate in the water. The disease can cause epidemics.

3. Objects at risk

Leptospira is an opportunistically transmitted disease. People who work in the following occupations are at risk of contracting Leptospira such as:
Farmers raising livestock Growing, picking vegetables, selling vegetables Fishing, sanitation workers

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4. Pathogenesis of Leptospira

The pathogenesis of Leptospira is not well understood. All ages can be infected with Leptospira. After entering the human body, spirochetes Leptospira cause bacteremia for 5-7 days.
Leptospira damages the walls of small blood vessels, leading to plasma leakage. Then, spirochetes cause damage to organs in the body, such as the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system.

5. Clinical Manifestations

People infected with Leptospira often have sudden onset symptoms such as:
High fever, headache, muscle pain, dry cough. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Patients may have external manifestations such as conjunctival congestion. Clinical examination showed hepatomegaly, enlarged spleen, and urinating less.

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6. Diagnosis of Leptospirosis

When the patient has appropriate epidemiological characteristics. There are also clinical symptoms. Patients need to be examined at facilities specialized in infectious diseases.

7. Prevention of Leptospira

Leptospira prevention still faces many difficulties because it is not possible to eliminate all Leptospira infected animals. Therefore, maintaining body hygiene, ensuring clean eating is a useful measure to prevent Leptospira.
For people in occupations with risk factors, it is necessary to wear protective equipment when in contact with possible sources of disease.
For livestock establishments: Keep the barns clean. Make sure the barn is dry, easy to drain, and regularly cleaned.
Do not use water sources from ponds and lakes for domestic use or drinking.
Take preventive medicine when entering endemic areas.

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If you notice any unusual health problems, you should visit and consult with a specialist.
Articles referenced sources: NCBI, sciencedirect.com, journals.plos.org

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This article is written for readers from Sài Gòn, Hà Nội, Hồ Chí Minh, Phú Quốc, Nha Trang, Hạ Long, Hải Phòng, Đà Nẵng.