Leptospirosis Symptoms and Causes – There are several animals that can transmit leptospirosis, including, cows, dogs, pigs, reptile groups, amphibian groups, rats, and other rodents.
Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease or infection (transmitted from animals) caused by serotypes and spirochete bacteria called Leptospira interrogans.
Zoonotic traits itself refer to diseases transmitted by animals that roam around humans.
These organisms can be carried by many animals and live inside their kidney organs.
If you are in the vicinity of the soil or water where the infected animal urinates, germs can attack your body through wounds on the skin, such as scratches, open wounds, including wounds that have started to dry.
Bacteria can also enter through the nose, mouth, or genitals.
Therefore, leptospirosis in general is more contagious during the rainy season when many puddles and wet soils are found everywhere.
Meanwhile, leptospirosis is rarely transmitted from other humans.
By others, the disease may only be transmitted through s**ex or breastfeeding.
Leptospirosis Symptoms
Generally, The symptoms of leptospirosis are:
- For mild disease, symptoms begin with a marked nausea in the stomach and throat.
- Fever
- Jaundice
- The skin is bleeding
- Shivering
- Muscle pain
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea.
- Rash
- Conjunctivitis
- Symptoms of severe leptospirosis are usually characterized by the presence of disorders of the lungs with the beginning of cough symptoms.
- The breath becomes short and the coughing up blood. There are also disorders of the kidneys that can lead to the condition of kidney failure.
- Disorders of the brain indicated by the presence of meningitis symptoms that begin with flu, fever, and headache.
- Disorders of the heart that trigger inflammation (myocarditis) or heart failure.
Leptospirosis is usually transmitted when water that has been contaminated with animal urine such as infected mice has direct contact with mucous membranes or blistered skin in humans.
Once inside the body the spirochete bacteria move through the circulatory system and infects all the tissues that eventually settle in the kidneys and in the urine for weeks after infection.
The symptoms experienced by each leptospirosis sufferer are different, while the characteristics of people affected by leptospirosis generally consist of 2 phases as follows:
First Phase
In the first phase, the characteristics of people affected by leptospirosis will be noticeable for 5 to 7 days.
This phase appears suddenly with symptoms such as high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, red eyes, muscle pain, especially in the thighs and calves, the presence of rashes on the skin, chills, and headaches.
Identification of leptospirosis symptoms in the early phases is essential to avoid severe health complications.
If left untreated for a long time, then the acute phase will continue into the second phase.
Second Phase
The second phase will occur after the first phase called the immune phase will appear 1 or 2 weeks later. The characteristics of people affected by leptospirosis in this phase consist of yellowing of the skin and eyes, kidney failure, irregular heartbeat, troubled lungs, inflammation of the membranes of the brain (meningitis), and red eyes.
The symptoms of the second phase can be life-threatening, so a person suffering from leptospirosis should get immediate health care
Leptospirosis Causes
As is well known, leptospirosis is one of the diseases caused by Leptospira interrogans bacteria spread through the urine or blood of animals infected with bacteria. A person who makes direct contact with infected sources or animals, is at high risk of developing the disease. In addition, the bacteria can also spread through soil or water, plants, and wet soil contaminated by the urine of infected animals.
Some types of animals that can transmit this disease include pigs, cows, dogs, mice, and other rodents.
Leptospirosis is a common type of disease that can be found in many parts of the world. The disease is most commonly found in countries with tropical climates, such as the Pacific Islands, Central America, Southeast Asia, and South America. Generally, this disease will attack in case of extreme environmental changes, such as flood disasters.
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