Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is suffering from the deadly disease Leptospirosis. Bhagwant Maan went to Fortis Hospital in Mohali for a routine checkup. There, doctors suspected tropical fever (a fever found in tropical zones) and a blood test was conducted, which confirmed leptospirosis.
Leptospirosis is a rare and serious disease caused by infection with bacteria called Leptospira. Leptospirosis is commonly found in the urine of many animals such as cows, horses, dogs, rats and pigs. At first, its symptoms are flu-like, which can later turn into the deadly disease Weil's syndrome.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 million cases of leptospirosis are reported worldwide every year, and 60,000 of them die. However, the CDC estimates that the actual number of cases of the disease may be much higher than the reported figures. This is because it is an under-reported disease due to low awareness.
So, today In 'health water' We will talk about leptospirosis. You will also learn that-
- What are the symptoms of leptospirosis?
- What is the treatment of this disease?
- What are the remedies to prevent this?
What is Leptospirosis?
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection. A bacteria called Leptospira can infect all parts of the body through our bloodstream. These bacteria are commonly spread by working around animals, bathing or drinking water in rivers and lakes, and gardening. In most cases only 3 reasons are responsible for this.
- Direct contact with urine or reproductive fluids of infected animals.
- Exposure to contaminated water or soil.
- Eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water.
See the graphic to see the order in which it spreads to humans and affects body organs.
What are the symptoms of leptospirosis?
Pulmonologist Dr. Dharamshila Narayan Hospital, Delhi. Nitin Rathi says that usually the symptoms of leptospirosis are similar to the common flu. It causes problems like fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Sometimes these symptoms can become severe in some people. In severe cases, jaundice-like symptoms may appear within 3 to 10 days.
- In severe cases the whites of the eyes may appear yellow. Abdominal pain continues and loss of appetite.
- When this affects the lungs, breathing becomes difficult. Bleeding starts with coughing.
- When the kidneys are affected, the volume of urine decreases and dark colored urine appears.
- If symptoms of this bacterial infection appear, consult a doctor immediately as leptospirosis can cause internal bleeding and organ damage. Overall, its infection can prove fatal at any time.
Precautions against leptospirosis required According to a study published in the renowned journal Nature, cases of leptospirosis have increased rapidly in India over the past few years. Many reasons such as climate change, increase in temperature have been shown behind this. Most cases of this bacterial infection occur only in hot and humid areas.
What is the treatment for leptospirosis? Dr. Nitin Rathi says that any bacterial infection is treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics are also given in case of leptospirosis. Its infection is treated by dividing it into two stages. If the infection is mild, symptoms are controlled by administering low doses of medication. Many times people recover without any treatment.
In severe cases, the patient needs to be hospitalized. In this, the patient's symptoms are difficult to control and antibiotics have to be given through a drip.
Apart from antibiotics, what other drugs will be needed to treat it depends on which organs of the patient are affected by the infection.
Prevention of leptospirosis is important Dr. Nitin Rathi says that there is a need for awareness about this disease. If people know and understand about this, they will also start adopting preventive measures. If work is done at prevention level then there will not be much trouble in future.
What are the chances of surviving leptospirosis infection? Dr. Nitin Rathi says that most people survive leptospirosis. In most cases, there are no symptoms or very mild symptoms, which resolve on their own after some time. Its symptoms are so similar to the flu that people mistake it for the flu.
Only 1% of people infected with it develop serious conditions (Weil's syndrome). It often becomes fatal if not treated on time. However, most people recover if treated on time.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
