Leptospirosis

1. Risk Factors:

1.1. occupations that expose people to farm animals, wild animals, and to contaminated water and soil (farmers, slaughterhouse workers, veterinarians, miners, military personnel, disaster workers and victims)

2. Treatment

2.1. Penicilins and other B- lactam antibiotics(PCN at 2M units q6H IM/IV)

2.2. Teracycline(Doxycycline at 100mg q12H PO)

2.3. Erythromycin (500mg q12H PO)- if allegic to Penicillin

3. Nursing Management

3.1. Provide education to clients telling them to avoid swimming or wading in potentially contaminated water or flood water.

3.2. Use of proper protection like boots and gloves when work requires exposure to contaminated water.

3.3. Drain potentially contaminated water when possible.

3.4. Control rats in the household by using rat traps or rat poison, maintaining cleanliness in the house.

4. Leptospira interrogans

4.1. Mode of Transmission:

4.1.1. Incubation Period:

4.1.2. approximately 7 to 12 days but it may range from 2 to 30 days

4.2. Ingestion of foods contaminated with urine of infected rats is an occasional route of infection.

4.3. Direct contact with urine or tissues of infected animals.

5. S/S

5.1. high fever chills headache muscle aches fatigue sore throat abdominal pain vomiting diarrhea jaundice pain in the joints or muscles rash reddish eyes

6. Diagnostic Tests

6.1. by isolating the bacteria from the patient (blood or CSF)

6.2. positive microscopic agglutination test (MAT)