Leptospira Sp

Question 1

How would we get leptospira infections? How often do you see leptospirosis?

Answer 1

Contact with contaminated wAter
Stagnant water, ponds puddles lakes

Relatively rare in humans
Most cases are seasonal occurring August through September (outside of tropical areas)

Question 2

What are the symptoms of leptospirosis ?

Answer 2

It is a biphasic disease
1-flu like symptoms :fever, fatigue, chills
-briefly asymptomatic
2-mimics other diseases: meningitis, liver damage, cardiovascular problems

Often wrongly diagnosed

Question 3

What is the incubation period for leptospira?

Answer 3

4-14 days

Question 4

How do you treat leptospirosis?

Answer 4

Doxycycline(can use for prophylaxis)
Or
Beta lactams

Question 5

What type of infection is leptospirosis? Why?

Answer 5

zoonosis/zoonotic infection. It’s host is animals. Rats or mice.

Transmitted to humans by water contaminated by animal urine. Dogs get it through drinking paddles

Question 6

How do we diagnose leptospirosis ?

Answer 6

Know this:Diagnosis is confirmed by serology plus or minus PCR

First 7-10 days: spirochetes found in blood
After 10 days: spirochetes are in kidneys and found in fresh urine
-Can culture blood and or urine
-Microscopic agglutination test