Leptospirosis: symptoms, causes, treatment, etc. & bull; hello healthy

What is leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is an infection caused by spiral-shaped bacteria called Leptospira interrogans. These bacteria are contained in the urine, blood, or tissue of rodents.

Bacteria Leptospira interrogans can be carried by animals and they can transmit the bacteria in their urine or blood. This disease is very rarely transmitted from one infected person to another.

Leptospirosis is a very common disease and can be found in various parts of the world. However, this disease is more common in temperate and tropical countries, such as the Caribbean, Pacific Islands, Central America, South America and Southeast Asia.

In addition, leptospirosis is more common in areas with slum settlements, or areas that do not have good drains and sanitation. Doing activities outdoors, in wet and humid places, or having frequent contact with animals can also increase the risk of contracting this disease.

Symptoms of leptospirosis

Quoted from the United States center for disease control and prevention, CDC, the symptoms caused by leptospirosis are:

• High fever
• Headache
• Shivering
• Muscle ache
• Gag
• Yellow skin and eyes
• Red eye
• Stomach ache
• Diarrhea
• Rash

Many of the above symptoms are mistaken for signs of other diseases. Someone who is infected doesn't even show any symptoms.

The time between a person being exposed to the bacteria and getting sick is 2 days to 4 weeks. This disease usually begins with a sudden onset of fever, accompanied by other symptoms.

The symptoms of leptospirosis can be divided into two phases, namely:

First phase

In the first phase, signs and symptoms will appear for 5 to 7 days. This phase will start suddenly with symptoms that include:

• High fever
• Gag
• Diarrhea
• Red eye
• Muscle pain (especially thigh and calf muscles)
• Rash
• Chills
• Headache

Second phase

After passing through the first phase, the second phase of the disease (immune phase) will appear 1 or 2 weeks later. The second phase of leptospirosis is also known as Weil's disease. When the second phase appears, the disease becomes more severe.

Conditions that can occur in the second phase of leptospirosis include:

• Yellow fever (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
• Kidney failure
• Irregular heartbeat
• Lung problems
• Meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain)
• Red eye

Depending on the organ affected, the symptoms exhibited by a severe phase of leptospirosis are:

Liver, kidney and heart

If your liver, kidneys or heart are infected with bacteria Leptospira, You may feel the following signs:

• Nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• Swelling of the feet or hands
• Swelling of the liver
• Reduced urine
• Difficulty breathing
• Heart beating fast
• Yellow skin and eyes

Brain

If your brain is infected with bacteria LeptospiraThe signs and symptoms that may appear are:

• High fever
• Nausea and vomiting
• Pain and stiffness in the neck
• Fatigue
• Confusion
• More aggressive
• Seizures
• Difficulty controlling body movements
• Difficulty speaking
• Sensitive to light

Lungs

The signs and symptoms that will appear if this disease attacks your lungs are:

• High fever
• Shortness of breath
• Cough accompanied by blood

When should I see a doctor?

If you experience any of the signs or symptoms listed above, or have any questions, please consult your doctor.

There are also serious signs and symptoms that require you to see a doctor as soon as possible, namely:

• Yellow skin and eyes (jaundice)
• Swollen feet and hands
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Cough with blood

Causes and risk factors for leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is caused by a bacterial infection called Leptospira interrogans. These bacteria are organisms commonly found in water, wet or damp soil, rainforests, or mud. Flood conditions can generally spread these bacteria.

Rodents such as mice are the main source of infection for this disease. However ,, bacteria can also usually be found in animals such as dogs, cows, pigs, and other wild animals.

An infected animal will carry the bacteria in its kidneys, even without causing any symptoms to the animal. The bacteria will usually pass through the urine of infected animals.

Generally, bacteria can survive in outdoor environments if they remain in a warm, humid area for several months. You can become infected with these bacteria if your eyes, mouth, nose, or open sores on your skin come in contact with:

• Urine, blood, or tissue from animals that carry bacteria
• Water contaminated by bacteria
• Soil contaminated with bacteria
• You can also get leptospirosis if you are bitten by an animal infected with the disease.

Risk factors

There are several factors that can increase your risk of developing leptosirosis, namely:

• Stay in temperate to tropical regions
• Have work related to animals, such as breeders, veterinarians, zookeepers, butchers, and others.
• Have work that involves outdoor activities or contact with water, such as pipeline workers, miners, military soldiers, fish breeders, cleaners septic tank, construction workers, and farmers
• Do water activities, such as swimming, surfing, snorkeling, diving, sailing, or rowing.

Diagnosis of leptospirosis

In diagnosing this disease, it is possible that the signs and symptoms that appear are difficult to distinguish from other diseases, especially the types of infections that often occur in tropical countries. The doctor may do the following ways to diagnose leptospirosis:

• Medical history and risk factors. The doctor will ask questions about your medical history and risk factors.
• Blood or urine test. If your doctor suspects that you have leptospirosis or other bacterial infection, you will be asked to do blood tests, urine tests, or both.
• Imaging test. The doctor will also perform imaging scans, such as a chest X-ray, and more blood tests to check your liver and kidney function. In addition, scans and tests can also help your doctor learn what organs of yours have been infected.

Leptospirosis treatment

Most cases of this disease are classified as mild and can heal on their own, without requiring further treatment.

However, for cases of infection severe enough for the patient to develop Weil's disease, the doctor may prescribe medications such as:

Antibiotics

Antibiotic drugs are generally given by doctors to treat leptospirosis. These medications may include:

• Amoxicillin
• Ampicillin
• Penicillin
• Doxycycline
• Cephalosporin

Although the effectiveness of treatment with antibiotics is still debated, some research suggests that antibiotics may reduce the duration of symptoms and signs by 2 to 4 days.

Antibiotics can be given for 48 hours after you are infected, by injection or by mouth.

Other treatment

The doctor may also provide other care and treatment if this disease affects other organs of the body, for example, a disease such as hypotension, acute kidney injury, or liver failure occurs.

Other treatments to treat this bacterial infection include:

• Ventilator to treat difficulty breathing
• A dialysis procedure to treat an infected kidney

If this disease is not treated or treated as soon as possible, there may be some complications for the sufferer. Complications of leptospirosis may include:

Brain problems

This disease has the potential to cause problems in the brain, involving the cerebral cortex and meningo-encephalitis. This has the risk of causing changes in the mental condition of the sufferer, which can even lead to death.

Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage

Bacterial infection Leptospira the possibility of causing problems in the lungs, one of which is diffuse alveolar hemorrhage. This disease causes the lungs not to function properly, and risks causing difficulty breathing.

Other complications that may arise include:

• Myocarditis (infection of the heart muscle)
• Uveitis (infection of the middle layer of the eye)
• Pancreatitis (infection of the pancreas)
• Cholecystitis (infection of the gallbladder)

Prevention of leptospirosis

Lifestyle changes can help you prevent leptospirosis:

• Vaccines for animals. However, this vaccine can only protect against some forms of bacteria Leptospira certain, and doesn't provide long-term immunity.
• Protect yourself from the risk of infection by wearing protective equipment: waterproof shoes, goggles, gloves.
• Avoid standing water and water from agricultural watercourses, and minimize animal contamination of food or garbage.
• Provide proper sanitation and control measures to help prevent the spread of bacteria Leptospira.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor to understand the best solution for you.