Leptospirosis And How To Prevent It

The Department of Health declared an outbreak of Leptospirosis since the number of affected barangays rose to 28 in Metro Manila. DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III announced on Saturday that there is an increase of 10 more barangays affected in addition to the last 18 barangays declared on Thursday.

According to a report by PhilStar, Duque advises that the public should at least have the knowledge about Leptospirosis. “Hopefully we can sustain this and we can do that only by remaining vigilant against Leptospirosis”, he remarked.

There are 1,085 reported Leptospirosis cases from January to June 23 this year. Four hundred fifty-eight of these are from Metro Manila which includes 58 deaths.

What is Leptospirosis?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that affects humans and animals caused by a bacteria of a genus called Leptospira.

Leptospirosis is a serious disease that can lead to kidney damage, meningitis, liver failure, respiratory distress, and death. The disease is spread through contact of urine with infected animals especially rats. The rain or flood is a factor of spreading the virus to humans. Wading in a flooded area where water freely flows from sewage and drainages is not advisable as this carries a lot of viruses such as Leptospirosis. Such water conditions may highly infect humans especially those who have open wounds.

How to prevent Leptospirosis

1. The best way to prevent Leptospirosis is to keep your hands and feet clean. Wash it well after using the toilet or after having been exposed to dirty water.

2. Avoid stepping into rainwater or floodwater. If it is unavoidable, make sure to have footwear that can protect your feet from water infections. Wash your feet and hands with soap and sanitize after.

3. Keep your nails short and clean because long nails may trap dirt and contaminants. After having a manicure or pedicure, make sure to avoid rainwater as much as possible. In the event that you incurred wounds while having your nails done, take extra care. You wouldn’t want your nail polish to scrape off because if the chipped-off particles from nail polish make their way into the open wounds, bacteria will most likely enter as well causing infection.

4. Keep your environment clean. Proper disposal of garbage can help drainage and sewage systems avoid clogging when it rain. This also keeps the rats away.

Symptoms of Leptospirosis You Should Know About and Monitor according to CDC.

The symptoms of Leptospirosis include high fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, vomiting, jaundice (yellow skin or eyes), red eyes, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rashes. If all or more of these are evident in a person, please consult a doctor immediately. It is highly advisable to do this to avoid suffering a more serious disease. As we all know, Leptospirosis can also result in death.