Definition:
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that results to the enlargement of the spleen, nephritis and jaundice.
Diagnosis:
Leptospirosis can be diagnosed by tests such as Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay as well as PCR and serological testing. The bacteria can also be found present in the bloodstream during the first 10 days upon incurring the disease.
Treatment:
Leptospirosis is treated by antibiotics such as penicillin and doxycycline. Supportive therapy measures are as well administered in severe cases, examples of which being detoxication and normalizing hydro-electrolytic balance. Corticosteroids are also prescribed in advanced stages of the disease.
Symptoms and Signs:
Signs of the disease include vasculitis and eventual disseminated intravascular coagulation. Other indications of leptospirosis are reduced urine excretion, unusually dark colored urine, lethargy, loss of appetite, fever and vomiting.
Causes:
Leptospirosis is caused by the bacterium named Leptospira spp. This bacterial strain is transmitted by the urine of an animal carrier, the most common of which are rats. This is usually one of the diseases rampant during floods, as rat urine may run with the flood. The bacteria may then infect open wounds or breaks of human skin which eventually starts the onset of the disease.
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