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After floods, it's leptospirosis

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Beware of wading through flooded areas in the city, say doctors as more positive cases of leptospirosis are reported to them as the monsoon picks up in the city.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that spreads from rat urine contaminated water. As per the state government’s health department records, it has claimed three lives in the Mumbai metropolitan region so far this monsoon.

Dr Ashish Tiwari, CEO of Zynova Heartcare Pvt Ltd, said, “Yesterday itself we admitted a 58-year-old man from Chembur. He tested positive for leptospirosis.”

Last week, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) run hospitals alone reported six positive cases of leptospirosis.

Doctors warn that people are vulnerable to getting infected with leptospirosis while wading through monsoon waters which have a high possibility of being contaminated. Leptospirosis has not metamorphosed into a fatal infection as yet this year but late detection of the disease could lead to complications. because of overlapping of Lepto symptoms with Malaria and Hepatitis.

“Leptospirosis has symptoms like fever with chills, headache, vomiting, pain behind the eyes, muscle and abdominal pain, skin rashes. The symptoms are very confusing and mimic those seen in other diseases,” said Dr Anil Ballani, consultant physician at Lilavati hospital.

If not treated immediately, leptospirosis can lead to meningitis, renal failure and other complications. A patient’s history as to whether he/she has waded through dirty waters comes handy in detecting Lepto infection. The bacteria can seep through microscopic pores in the skin and an injury in the feet is not mandatory to contract the infection.

Dr Hemant Thacker, consultant physician at Breach Candy hospital, said, “We are going to see more leptospirosis cases as the flooding has only just begun.

People who have waded through flooded areas should keep in mind that if they get fever with chills, vomiting and high WBC counts, they should tell the doctor about it. This will help in the right diagnosis of the disease.”

Statistics collated by the directorate of health services (DHS) show that Mumbai has contributed to 78% of the 209 leptospirosis cases reported in the state since the beginning of this year.

What is leptospirosis?
Leptospirosis spreads through Leptospira bacteria from animals to humans.

The bacteria is found in urine of rats, mice or moles.

It seeps into the human skin from contaminated water.

Symptoms: High grade fever, body aches, rashes, liver swelling, nausea and drastic drop in platelet count.

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