Leptospirosis in animals and human contacts in Egypt: broad range surveillance

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Ahmed Samir

2015-06-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Leptospirosis is a re-emerging zoonotic disease of humans and animals worldwide. The disease is caused by pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira. These organisms are maintained in nature via chronic renal infection of carrier animals, which excrete the organisms in their urine. Humans become infected through direct or indirect exposure to infected animals and their urine or through contact with contaminated water and soil. This study was conducted to investigate Leptospira infections as a re-emerging zoonosis that has been neglected in Egypt. METHODS: Samples from 1,250 animals (270 rats, 168 dogs, 625 cows, 26 buffaloes, 99 sheep, 14 horses, 26 donkeys and 22 camels, 175 human contacts and 45 water sources were collected from different governorates in Egypt. The samples were collected from different body sites and prepared for culture, PCR and the microscopic agglutination test (MAT. RESULTS: The isolation rates of Leptospira serovars were 6.9%, 11.3% and 1.1% for rats, dogs and cows, respectively, whereas the PCR results revealed respective detection rates of 24%, 11.3% and 1.1% for rats, dogs and cows. Neither the other examined animal species nor humans yielded positive results via these two techniques. Only six Leptospira serovars (Icterohaemorrhagiae, Pomona, Canicola, Grippotyphosa, Celledoni and Pyrogenes could be isolated from rats, dogs and cows. Moreover, the seroprevalence of leptospiral antibodies among the examined humans determined using MAT was 49.7%. CONCLUSIONS: The obtained results revealed that rats, dogs and cows were the most important animal reservoirs for leptospirosis in Egypt, and the high seroprevalence among human contacts highlights the public health implications of this neglected zoonosis.

Leptospirosis in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: An Ecosystem Approach in the Animal-Human Interface

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Schneider, Maria Cristina; Najera, Patricia; Pereira, Martha M.; Machado, Gustavo; dos Anjos, Celso B.; Rodrigues, Rogério O.; Cavagni, Gabriela M.; Muñoz-Zanzi, Claudia; Corbellini, Luis G.; Leone, Mariana; Buss, Daniel F.; Aldighieri, Sylvain; Espinal, Marcos A.

2015-01-01

Background Leptospirosis is an epidemic-prone neglected disease that affects humans and animals, mostly in vulnerable populations. The One Health approach is a recommended strategy to identify drivers of the disease and plan for its prevention and control. In that context, the aim of this study was to analyze the distribution of human cases of leptospirosis in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and to explore possible drivers. Additionally, it sought to provide further evidence to support interventions and to identify hypotheses for new research at the human-animal-ecosystem interface. Methodology and findings The risk for human infection was described in relation to environmental, socioeconomic, and livestock variables. This ecological study used aggregated data by municipality (all 496). Data were extracted from secondary, publicly available sources. Thematic maps were constructed and univariate analysis performed for all variables. Negative binomial regression was used for multivariable statistical analysis of leptospirosis cases. An annual average of 428 human cases of leptospirosis was reported in the state from 2008 to 2012. The cumulative incidence in rural populations was eight times higher than in urban populations. Variables significantly associated with leptospirosis cases in the final model were: Parana/Paraiba ecoregion (RR: 2.25; CI95%: 2.03–2.49); Neossolo Litolítico soil (RR: 1.93; CI95%: 1.26–2.96); and, to a lesser extent, the production of tobacco (RR: 1.10; CI95%: 1.09–1.11) and rice (RR: 1.003; CI95%: 1.002–1.04). Conclusion Urban cases were concentrated in the capital and rural cases in a specific ecoregion. The major drivers identified in this study were related to environmental and production processes that are permanent features of the state. This study contributes to the basic knowledge on leptospirosis distribution and drivers in the state and encourages a comprehensive approach to address the disease in the animal-human

A global, multi-disciplinary, multi-sectorial initiative to combat leptospirosis: Global Leptospirosis Environmental Action Network (GLEAN).

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Durski, Kara N; Jancloes, Michel; Chowdhary, Tej; Bertherat, Eric

2014-06-05

Leptospirosis has emerged as a major public health problem in both animals and humans. The true burden of this epidemic and endemic disease is likely to be grossly under-estimated due to the non-specific clinical presentations of the disease and the difficulty of laboratory confirmation. The complexity that surrounds the transmission dynamics, particularly in epidemic situations, requires a coordinated, multi-disciplinary effort. Therefore, the Global Leptospirosis Environmental Action Network (GLEAN) was developed to improve global and local strategies of how to predict, prevent, detect, and intervene in leptospirosis outbreaks in order to prevent and control leptospirosis in high-risk populations.

Pathology and pathophysiology of pulmonary manifestations in leptospirosis

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Marisa Dolhnikoff

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is a re-emerging zoonosis occurring as large outbreaks throughout the world caused by Leptospira interrogans. The incidence of pulmonary involvement in leptospirosis has been reported to be increasing in the last years, affecting up to 70% of the patients. Alveolar hemorrhage presented as dyspnea and hemoptysis is the main pulmonary manifestation. The emergence of massive hemoptysis and acute respiratory distress syndrome has characterized the recent changes reported in the clinical patterns of leptospirosis. The pulmonary involvement has been emerged as a serious life threat, becoming the main cause of death due to leptospirosis in some countries. In this review we present the main clinical and pathological manifestations of pulmonary involvement in leptospirosis, with special focus on recent data concerning the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying lung injury.

A Case of Anicteric Leptospirosis Presenting with Rectal Bleeding and Hyperpyrexia

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Handan Ilhan

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is a globally widespread zoonotic infection caused by leptospira-type spirochetes. In humans the infection generally occurs by way of direct or indirect contact with infected animal urine. The main clinical symptoms are fever, septicemia, headache, fatigue and myalgia. The disease usually begins with a high fever. The largest risk factor for leptospirosis is occupational and it includes farmers, ranchers, military personnel and, sewer workers. There is also a risk through recreational exposure such as freshwater swimming and kayaking. This report describes a case of leptospirosis following a course with hyper-pyrexia, for the first time in the medical literature. [Dis Mol Med 2016; 4(2.000: 18-20

Human leptospirosis in Seychelles: A prospective study confirms the heavy burden of the disease but suggests that rats are not the main reservoir.

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Biscornet, Leon; Dellagi, Koussay; Pagès, Frédéric; Bibi, Jastin; de Comarmond, Jeanine; Mélade, Julien; Govinden, Graham; Tirant, Maria; Gomard, Yann; Guernier, Vanina; Lagadec, Erwan; Mélanie, Jimmy; Rocamora, Gérard; Le Minter, Gildas; Jaubert, Julien; Mavingui, Patrick; Tortosa, Pablo

2017-08-01

Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira for which rats are considered as the main reservoir. Disease incidence is higher in tropical countries, especially in insular ecosystems. Our objectives were to determine the current burden of leptospirosis in Seychelles, a country ranking first worldwide according to historical data, to establish epidemiological links between animal reservoirs and human disease, and to identify drivers of transmission. A total of 223 patients with acute febrile symptoms of unknown origin were enrolled in a 12-months prospective study and tested for leptospirosis through real-time PCR, IgM ELISA and MAT. In addition, 739 rats trapped throughout the main island were investigated for Leptospira renal carriage. All molecularly confirmed positive samples were further genotyped. A total of 51 patients fulfilled the biological criteria of acute leptospirosis, corresponding to an annual incidence of 54.6 (95% CI 40.7-71.8) per 100,000 inhabitants. Leptospira carriage in Rattus spp. was overall low (7.7%) but dramatically higher in Rattus norvegicus (52.9%) than in Rattus rattus (4.4%). Leptospira interrogans was the only detected species in both humans and rats, and was represented by three distinct Sequence Types (STs). Two were novel STs identified in two thirds of acute human cases while noteworthily absent from rats. This study shows that human leptospirosis still represents a heavy disease burden in Seychelles. Genotype data suggests that rats are actually not the main reservoir for human disease. We highlight a rather limited efficacy of preventive measures so far implemented in Seychelles. This could result from ineffective control measures of excreting animal populations, possibly due to a misidentification of the main contaminating reservoir(s). Altogether, presented data stimulate the exploration of alternative reservoir animal hosts.

Human leptospirosis in Seychelles: A prospective study confirms the heavy burden of the disease but suggests that rats are not the main reservoir.

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Leon Biscornet

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira for which rats are considered as the main reservoir. Disease incidence is higher in tropical countries, especially in insular ecosystems. Our objectives were to determine the current burden of leptospirosis in Seychelles, a country ranking first worldwide according to historical data, to establish epidemiological links between animal reservoirs and human disease, and to identify drivers of transmission.A total of 223 patients with acute febrile symptoms of unknown origin were enrolled in a 12-months prospective study and tested for leptospirosis through real-time PCR, IgM ELISA and MAT. In addition, 739 rats trapped throughout the main island were investigated for Leptospira renal carriage. All molecularly confirmed positive samples were further genotyped.A total of 51 patients fulfilled the biological criteria of acute leptospirosis, corresponding to an annual incidence of 54.6 (95% CI 40.7-71.8 per 100,000 inhabitants. Leptospira carriage in Rattus spp. was overall low (7.7% but dramatically higher in Rattus norvegicus (52.9% than in Rattus rattus (4.4%. Leptospira interrogans was the only detected species in both humans and rats, and was represented by three distinct Sequence Types (STs. Two were novel STs identified in two thirds of acute human cases while noteworthily absent from rats.This study shows that human leptospirosis still represents a heavy disease burden in Seychelles. Genotype data suggests that rats are actually not the main reservoir for human disease. We highlight a rather limited efficacy of preventive measures so far implemented in Seychelles. This could result from ineffective control measures of excreting animal populations, possibly due to a misidentification of the main contaminating reservoir(s. Altogether, presented data stimulate the exploration of alternative reservoir animal hosts.

[Leptospirosis in French Guiana and the Guiana shield: Current knowledge in 2016].

Science.gov (United States)

Epelboin, L; Bourhy, P; Le Turnier, P; Schaub, R; Mosnier, E; Berlioz-Arthaud, A; Reynaud, Y; Nacher, M; De Thoisy, B; Carles, G; Richard-Hansen, C; Demar, M; Picardeau, M; Djossou, F

2017-08-01

Leptospirosis is a cosmopolitan zoonosis caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira. Whether the distribution is worldwide, the hot and humid climate of the tropics is particularly conducive to its expansion. In most French overseas departments and territories, leptospirosis is considered as a public health problem. In French Guiana, a French department located in the northeastern part of the Amazon rainforest, it is supposed to be rare. The objective of this review was to make an inventory of the knowledge on human and animal leptospirosis in French Guiana and neighboring countries. A comprehensive search was conducted through the indexed and informal medical literature in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese. Thus, respectively ten and four publications were identified on human and animal leptospirosis in French Guiana, published between 1940 and 1995 in the form of case reports or case series. The publications concerning this disease in the other countries of the Guiana Shield, eastern Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and Brazilian state of Amapá, also scarce or nonexistent. However recent data from the French National Centre of leptospirosis showed a recent and sudden increase in the number of cases in the department, probably partly due to the development of diagnostic tools such as Elisa IgM serology. It is likely that leptospirosis is a neglected disease in the region, due to the lack of diagnostic tools readily available, the lack of knowledge of the local clinicians on this disease and the existence of many other pathogens with similar clinical presentation such as malaria, arboviruses and Q fever and Amazonian toxoplasmosis. The establishment of more large-scale studies on animal and human leptospirosis is necessary and urgent to know the true burden of this disease in our region.

Perceptions and risky behaviors associated with Leptospirosis in an ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Leptospirosis, a disease caused by Leptospira species, a spirochaete bacterium that can develop in an appropriate environment and/or grow in human and/or animal hosts, is a serious problem for the Ministry of Public Health, Thailand. Objective: To investigate people's perceptions and behavioral risks ...

Towards the burden of human leptospirosis: duration of acute illness and occurrence of post-leptospirosis symptoms of patients in the Netherlands.

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Marga G A Goris

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is a global zoonotic disease. Although important for the assessment of the burden of leptospirosis, data on the duration of the illness and the occurrence of post-leptospirosis complaints are not well documented. Hence the main objective of this study was to estimate the occurrence of persistent complaints and duration of hospital stay in laboratory confirmed leptospirosis patients in the Netherlands during 1985 to 2010. Additionally, several risk factors potentially impacting on the occurrence of post-leptospirosis complaints were investigated. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The duration of the acute phase of leptospirosis was 16 days (IQR 12-23; 10 days (IQR 7-16 were spent hospitalized. Eighteen fatal cases were excluded from this analysis. Complaints of leptospirosis patients by passive case investigations (CPC derived from files on ambulant consultations occurring one month after hospital discharge, revealed persistent complaints in 108 of 236 (45.8% laboratory confirmed cases. Data on persistent complaints after acute leptospirosis (PCAC, assessed in 225 laboratory confirmed leptospirosis cases collected through questionnaires during 1985-1993, indicated 68 (30.2% PCAC cases. Frequently reported complaints included (extreme fatigue, myalgia, malaise, headache, and a weak physical condition. These complaints prolonged in 21.1% of the cases beyond 24 months after onset of disease. There was no association between post-leptospirosis complaints and hospitalization. However, individuals admitted at the intensive care unit (ICU were twice as likely to have continuing complaints after discharge adjusting for age and dialysis (OR 2.0 95% CI 0.8-4.8. No significant association could be found between prolongation of complaints and infecting serogroup, although subgroup analysis suggest that infection with serogroups Sejroe (OR 4.8, 95%CI 0.9-27.0 and icterohaemorrhagiae (OR 2.0, 95%CI 0.9-4.3 CI are more likely to result in

Pulmonary hemorrhage resulting from leptospirosis

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Mauro Razuk Filho

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is one of the most widespread zoonoses in the world, although the mechanisms responsible for the pathogenesis of spirochetes of the genus Leptospira are largely unknown. Human infection occurs either by direct contact with infected animals or indirectly, through contact with water or soil contaminated with urine, as the spirochetes easily penetrate human skin. The present report exposes the case of a female patient, diagnosed with leptospirosis after having had contact with a dog infected by Leptospira sp. that developed pulmonary hemorrhage, acute respiratory distress syndrome and acute renal failure.

Establishment of Valid Laboratory Case Definition for Human Leptospirosis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.G.A. Goris (Marga); M.M.G. Leeflang (Mariska); K.R. Boer (Kimberly); M. Goeijenbier (Marco); E.C.M. van Gorp (Eric); J.F.P. Wagenaar (Jiri); R.A. Hartskeerl (Rudy)

2011-01-01

textabstractLaboratory case definition of leptospirosis is scarcely de ned by a solid evaluation that determines cut-off values in the tests that are applied. This study describes the process of determining optimal cut-off titers of laboratory tests for leptospirosis for a valid case definition of

Leptospirosis among Hospitalized Febrile Patients in Northern Tanzania

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Biggs, Holly M.; Bui, Duy M.; Galloway, Renee L.; Stoddard, Robyn A.; Shadomy, Sean V.; Morrissey, Anne B.; Bartlett, John A.; Onyango, Jecinta J.; Maro, Venance P.; Kinabo, Grace D.; Saganda, Wilbrod; Crump, John A.

2011-01-01

We enrolled consecutive febrile admissions to two hospitals in Moshi, Tanzania. Confirmed leptospirosis was defined as a ≥ 4-fold increase in microscopic agglutination test (MAT) titer; probable leptospirosis as reciprocal MAT titer ≥ 800; and exposure to pathogenic leptospires as titer ≥ 100. Among 870 patients enrolled in the study, 453 (52.1%) had paired sera available, and 40 (8.8%) of these met the definition for confirmed leptospirosis. Of 832 patients with ≥ 1 serum sample available, 30 (3.6%) had probable leptospirosis and an additional 277 (33.3%) had evidence of exposure to pathogenic leptospires. Among those with leptospirosis the most common clinical diagnoses were malaria in 31 (44.3%) and pneumonia in 18 (25.7%). Leptospirosis was associated with living in a rural area (odds ratio [OR] 3.4, P < 0.001). Among those with confirmed leptospirosis, the predominant reactive serogroups were Mini and Australis. Leptospirosis is a major yet underdiagnosed cause of febrile illness in northern Tanzania, where it appears to be endemic. PMID:21813847

Marked increase in leptospirosis infections in humans and dogs in the Netherlands, 2014

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pijnacker, Roan; Goris, M.G.; Wierik, te M.J.; Broens, E.M.; Giessen, van der J.W.; Rosa, de M.; Wagenaar, J.A.; Hartskeerl, R.A.; Notermans, D.W.; Maassen, K.; Schimmer, B.

2016-01-01

In the Netherlands, 97 human leptospirosis cases were notified in 2014. This represents a 4.6-fold increase in autochthonous cases (n = 60) compared with the annual average between 2010 and 2013. Most cases had symptom onset between June and November. This marked increase in humans coincided with

Marked increase in leptospirosis infections in humans and dogs in the Netherlands, 2014

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pijnacker, Roan; Goris, Marga G. A.; te Wierik, Margreet J. M.; Broens, Els M.; van der Giessen, Joke W. B.; de Rosa, Mauro; Wagenaar, Jaap A.; Hartskeerl, Rudy A.; Notermans, Daan W.; Maassen, Kitty; Schimmer, Barbara

2016-01-01

In the Netherlands, 97 human leptospirosis cases were notified in 2014. This represents a 4.6-fold increase in autochthonous cases (n = 60) compared with the annual average between 2010 and 2013. Most cases had symptom onset between June and November. This marked increase in humans coincided with an

A cross-sectional epidemiological study of domestic animals related to human leptospirosis cases in Nicaragua.

Science.gov (United States)

Flores, Byron J; Pérez-Sánchez, Tania; Fuertes, Héctor; Sheleby-Elías, Jessica; Múzquiz, José Luis; Jirón, William; Duttmann, Christianne; Halaihel, Nabil

2017-06-01

Leptospirosis is one of the most extended zoonosis worldwide and humans become infected most commonly through contact with the urine of carrier animals, either directly or via contaminated water or soil. The aim in this study was to analyse the epidemiological behaviour of Leptospira spp., from domestic animals around the sites of human leptospirosis cases in Nicaragua, from 2007 through 2013. We report the results of a cross-sectional epidemiological study with a non-probability sampling of blood (n=3050) and urine (n=299) from Domestic Animals (DA) around the sites of human leptospirosis cases in Nicaragua. We analysed data obtained through Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT), in-vitro culture, real time PCR and sequencing of lfb1 locus. Frequencies of 30.31% (95% CI: 28.66-31.95) and 15.38% (95% CI: 11.12-19.64) were obtained from serological test and from in-vitro culture, respectively. Although similar frequencies from serology test (P≥0.05) were found in DA species, in-vitro culture frequencies were significantly higher from bovine, equine and sheep (P<0.05) in comparison with swine and canine species. Ten serogroups of pathogenic Leptospira spp. were encountered, with the highest presence of Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup 34.65% (95% CI: 29.35-39.94). We identified 7 samples homologous to L. interrogans species Pyrogenes serovar and 3 samples as L. noguchii Louisiana or Panama serovars by analysis of lfb1 sequences. We were able to establish a temporal and spatial correlation from DA and cumulative incidence of human cases. Therefore an effective epidemiological surveillance should be implemented with a specific control program toward DA in order to reduce human leptospirosis incidence. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analisis Karakteristik Lingkungan Pada Kejadian Leptospirosis di Kabupaten Demak Jawa Tengah Tahun 2009

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Bina Ikawati

2015-11-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Background: Leptospirosis is a zoonosis disease caused by Leptospira bacteria and transmitted to human by contact with contaminated animal urin or contaminated environment. Leptospirosis cases in Demak district increased for 4 year later. Until April 15th 2008, there were 62 leptospirosis cases with CFR=9,67%. The aim of this research was to determine environmental characteristic related to leptospirosis incidence in Demak district. Method: It was an observational research using a case control design with 44 cases and 44 controls. Cases were leptospirosis diagnosed by leptotek dri dot in Demak Health District Agency. Controls were neighbour of leptospirosis cases who didn’t have clinically symptom of leptospirosis, with age and sex appropiate to inclusion criteria. Laboratory diagnosis with leptotek dri dot had done for controls who agreed to sign inform consent. Data were analyzed using chi square test at α=5%. Variable with p value<0,25 would be continued with multivariat test using Regressi Logistic - Backward Likehood Ratio method. Result: The result of this research showed that there were 10 controls with no clinical diagnosis but positive at leptotek dri dot diagnosis. At statistical analysis 10 cases and 10 controls dropped. Univariat analysis showed controls and cases have environmental risk factor and knowledge, attitude, practice about leptospirosis similarly. Bivariat analysis showed there was no relationship between environmental characteristic and knowledge, attitude, practice with leptospirosis. Test of  water sample had been done at 8 location. One of them of creek showed positif contain Leptospira sp. Rat trapped had been done at four location, showed trap succes about 8,7%-29,8%. Eventhough environment factor and knowledge, attitude, practice showed there were no but water from ditch that positif Leptospira sp, significant association and highly succes at rat trapped were concidered to be the risk of  leptospirosis

Leptospirosis risk around a potential source of infection

Science.gov (United States)

Loaiza-Echeverry, Erica; Hincapié-Palacio, Doracelly; Ochoa Acosta, Jesús; Ospina Giraldo, Juan

2015-05-01

Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonosis with world distribution and multiform clinical spectrum in men and animals. The etiology of this disease is the pathogenic species of Leptospira, which cause diverse manifestations of the disease, from mild to serious, such as the Weil disease and the lung hemorrhagic syndrome with lethal proportions of 10% - 50%. This is an emerging problem of urban health due to the growth of marginal neighborhoods without basic sanitary conditions and an increased number of rodents. The presence of rodents and the probability of having contact with their urine determine the likelihood for humans to get infected. In this paper, we simulate the spatial distribution of risk infection of human leptospirosis according to the proximity to rodent burrows considered as potential source of infection. The Bessel function K0 with an r distance from the potential point source, and the scale parameter α in meters was used. Simulation inputs were published data of leptospirosis incidence rate (range of 5 to 79 x 10 000), and a distance of 100 to 5000 meters from the source of infection. We obtained an adequate adjustment between the function and the simulated data. The risk of infection increases with the proximity of the potential source. This estimation can become a guide to propose effective measures of control and prevention.

Karakteristik Individu Dan Kondisi Lingkungan Pemukiman di Daerah Endemis Leptospirosis Di Kota Semarang

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Tri Ramadhani

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Leptospirosis is an acute febrile illness injecting human and animal (zoonosis and caused by the bacteria leptospira. Semarang city is one endemic leptospirosis with inci­dence rate in 2009 of 13,27/100.000 and case fa ta lity rate 3,5%. This study aimed to know the epidemiological characteristics of leptospirosis cases and the relationship of environ­mental conditions of settlement with the incidence of leptospirosis The study was observational with cross sectional design. Data population are the people who visit the health center with clinical symptoms of leptospirosis and secondary data from the Health Department of Semarang. Sample are people who visited the health center with clinical symptoms ofleptospirosis (mainly:fever (body temperature> 37°C or fever accom­panied by headache, muscle aches, conjunctivitis and rash. Data environmental conditions of settlement had beed observed and interviewed using, and analysed bivariat with chi square. The results show characteristics of respondents most of the age group 10 -19 years (38.1%, male sex (56.2%, education level did not complete primary school (30.5% Distri­bution cases of leptospirosis attack more men (55% with mortality rate (CFR = 3.6, and in the age group 0-19 years that is as much as 32.5% (CFR=14.29Environmental conditions associated with the occurrence of leptospirosis include kitchen wall not a wall, no plavond, open dumping and dirty house. To prevention transmission of leptospirosis, among others, hygiene sanitasi, rat proofing so it does not make to nest rat.Key words: environment, endemic, leptospirosis, individual characteristics, Semarang

Individual Characteristics of Environmental Conditions of Settlement in Endemic Area of Leptospirosis in Semarang City

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Tri Ramadhani

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is an acute febrile illness infecting human and animal (zoonosis and caused by the bacteria leptospira. Semarang city is one endemic leptospirosis with incidence rate in 2009 of 13.27/100,000 and case fatality rate 3,5%. This study aimed to know the epidemiological characteristics of leptospirosis cases and the relationship of environmental conditions of settlement with the incidence of leptospirosis. The study was observational with cross sectional design. Data population are the people who visit the health center with clinical symptoms of leptospirosis and secondary data from the Health Department of Semarang. Sample are people who visited the health center with clinical symptoms of leptospirosis (mainly: fever (body temperature > 37C or fever accompanied by headache, muscle aches, conjunctivitis and rash. Data environmental conditions of settlement had beed observed and interviewed using, and analyzed bivariat with chi-square. The results show characteristics of respondents most of the age group 10-19 years (38.1%, male sex (56.2%, education level did not complete primary school (30.5% Distribution cases of leptospirosis attack more men (55% with mortality rate (CFR = 3.6, and in the age group 0-19 years that is as much as 32.5% (CFR=14.29. Environmental conditions associated with the occurrence of leptospirosis include kitchen wall not a wall, no plavond, open dumping and dirty house. To prevention transmission of leptospirosis, among others, hygiene sanitation,rat proofing so it does not make to nest rat.

Mapping Of Leptospirosis Environmental Risk Factors and Determining the Level of Leptospirosis Vulnerable Zone In Demak District Using Remote Sensing Image

Science.gov (United States)

Rahayu, Siti; Sakundarno Adi, Mateus; Saraswati, Lintang Dian

2018-02-01

Leptospirosis, a zoonotic disease, transmitted to human trough contact with contaminated animal urine and contaminated environment. Demak District is an endemic area where cases increased in the past 2 years. The aim of the study was to map environmental risk factor of Leptospirosis and to determine Leptospirosis vulnerable zone using cross-sectional study design. There were 42 cases mapped by GPS and overlaid using remote sensing (Quickbird image) by using ArcView program then interpreted by Spatial Feature and Spatial Analyses. Leptospirosis cases were spread out and grouped in Demak Sub District area. More cases were males (61.9%), 21-50 years old age group (59.3%) and farmers (40.4%). Spatial analyses showed that all the leptospirosis cases took place in the area with low plain profile (28.6%), tidal inundation's profile (7.1%), vegetation (59.5%). Leptospirosis high-risk zone was in 37,801.8 ha (41.32%), moderate risk zone was 43,570.23 ha (48.55%), and low-risk zone was 9,090.96 ha (10.13%). Densely populated housing, bad environment condition, and the presence of rat and puddles that were contaminated by rat's urine were risk factors of Leptospirosis cases in Demak District.

Leptospira Serovars for Diagnosis of Leptospirosis in Humans and Animals in Africa: Common Leptospira Isolates and Reservoir Hosts.

Science.gov (United States)

Mgode, Georgies F; Machang'u, Robert S; Mhamphi, Ginethon G; Katakweba, Abdul; Mulungu, Loth S; Durnez, Lies; Leirs, Herwig; Hartskeerl, Rudy A; Belmain, Steven R

2015-12-01

The burden of leptospirosis in humans and animals in Africa is higher than that reported from other parts of the world. However, the disease is not routinely diagnosed in the continent. One of major factors limiting diagnosis is the poor availability of live isolates of locally circulating Leptospira serovars for inclusion in the antigen panel of the gold standard microscopic agglutination test (MAT) for detecting antibodies against leptospirosis. To gain insight in Leptospira serovars and their natural hosts occurring in Tanzania, concomitantly enabling the improvement of the MAT by inclusion of fresh local isolates, a total of 52 Leptospira isolates were obtained from fresh urine and kidney homogenates, collected between 1996 and 2006 from small mammals, cattle and pigs. Isolates were identified by serogrouping, cross agglutination absorption test (CAAT), and molecular typing. Common Leptospira serovars with their respective animal hosts were: Sokoine (cattle and rodents); Kenya (rodents and shrews); Mwogolo (rodents); Lora (rodents); Qunjian (rodent); serogroup Grippotyphosa (cattle); and an unknown serogroup from pigs. Inclusion of local serovars particularly serovar Sokoine in MAT revealed a 10-fold increase in leptospirosis prevalence in Tanzania from 1.9% to 16.9% in rodents and 0.26% to 10.75% in humans. This indicates that local serovars are useful for diagnosis of human and animal leptospirosis in Tanzania and other African countries.

Leptospirosis in Ireland: annual incidence and exposures associated with infection.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Garvey, P

2013-08-05

SUMMARY Human leptospirosis is found throughout the world, albeit with a higher incidence in tropical regions. In temperate regions it is associated with certain occupational and recreational activities. This paper reports both on the incidence of human leptospirosis in Ireland and on possible associated exposures, using leptospirosis case notification, enhanced surveillance, hospital discharge data and death registrations. Based on official notification data, there was a threefold increase in the reported incidence of leptospirosis in Ireland between 1995-1999 and 2004-2009, which appears partially to be due to improved reporting. The exposures most associated with infection were those involving contact with livestock or water-based recreational sports, in particular kayaking. Advice on prevention should continue to be targeted in the first instance at these groups. The variety of potential transmission routes reported should inform clinicians to consider leptospirosis in individuals with a compatible clinical profile who were not from occupational groups historically considered at risk.

Globalization of leptospirosis through travel and migration.

Science.gov (United States)

Bandara, Medhani; Ananda, Mahesha; Wickramage, Kolitha; Berger, Elisabeth; Agampodi, Suneth

2014-08-12

Leptospirosis remains the most widespread zoonotic disease in the world, commonly found in tropical or temperate climates. While previous studies have offered insight into intra-national and intra-regional transmission, few have analyzed transmission across international borders. Our review aimed at examining the impact of human travel and migration on the re-emergence of Leptospirosis. Results suggest that alongside regional environmental and occupational exposure, international travel now constitute a major independent risk factor for disease acquisition. Contribution of travel associated leptospirosis to total caseload is as high as 41.7% in some countries. In countries where longitudinal data is available, a clear increase of proportion of travel-associated leptospirosis over the time is noted. Reporting patterns is clearly showing a gross underestimation of this disease due to lack of diagnostic facilities. The rise in global travel and eco-tourism has led to dramatic changes in the epidemiology of Leptospirosis. We explore the obstacles to prevention, screening and diagnosis of Leptopirosis in health systems of endemic countries and of the returning migrant or traveler. We highlight the need for developing guidelines and preventive strategies of Leptospirosis related to travel and migration, including enhancing awareness of the disease among health professionals in high-income countries.

Has Madagascar lost its exceptional leptospirosis free-like status?

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Ratsitorahina, Maherisoa; Rahelinirina, Soanandrasana; Michault, Alain; Rajerison, Minoarisoa; Rajatonirina, Soatiana; Richard, Vincent

2015-01-01

Leptospirosis is a widespread but underreported cause of morbidity and mortality. It has rarely been reported in either humans or animals in Madagascar. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of the inhabitants in Moramanga, Madagascar, in June 2011, to estimate the prevalence of human infection using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). This activity was carried out as part of a workshop implemented by the Pasteur Institute of Madagascar, focusing on surveillance with a one week field study and targeting the health staff of the district level. In total, we sampled 678 inhabitants from 263 households. The sex ratio (M/F) was 0.65 and the mean age 26.7 years. We obtained a value of 2.9% for the first recorded seroprevalence of this disease in the human community of Moramanga. Questionnaire responses revealed frequent contacts between humans and rodents in Moramanga. However, activities involving cattle were identified as a risk factor significantly associated with seropositivity (OR=3). Leptospirosis remains a neglected disease in Madagascar. This study highlights the need to quantify the public health impact of this neglected disease in a more large scale, in all the country and to establish point-of-care laboratories in remote areas.

Leptospirosis complicating with acute large bowel gangrene: a case report.

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Zamri, Z; Shaker, A H; Razman, J

2012-01-01

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis with worldwide distribution. It is often referred to as swineherd's disease, swamp fever or mud fever. In recent years there is increase incidence in leptospirosis in human. The incidence varies from sporadic in temperate zones to endemic in the tropical countries. Leptospirosis generally present with features of bacterial infection in acute phase following with multi organs complications. Acute bowel ischaemia with perforation following leptospirosis is a rare presentation . To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of such condition. The surgical management of this rare incidence will be discussed.

Diagnostic approach in leptospirosis patients

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Sembiring, E.

2018-03-01

Leptospirosis is as a worldwide zoonotic disease, spread by pathogenic species of the bacterial genus Leptospira that occurs most commonly in tropical and subtropical regions which are one of endemic diseases in some places in Indonesia. The leptospira serovars are naturally carried in the renal tubules of rodents, wild and domestic animals. Human can be infected either through direct contact with urine of infected animals or indirect contact through with contaminated water and soil. Clinical manifestation is highly variable. The most cases are with a mild flu-like illness which may mimic many other diseases. Weil’s disease is the name given to severe illness and is characterized by a severe febrile illness with bleeding, jaundice and renal failure with high mortality rate. Leptospirosis has been frequently underdiagnosed and underreported. The diagnosis of leptospirosis is difficult to confirm and laboratory test is rarely available even in endemic areas.

Molecular diagnostics for human leptospirosis.

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Waggoner, Jesse J; Pinsky, Benjamin A

2016-10-01

The definitive diagnosis of leptospirosis, which results from infection with spirochetes of the genus Leptospira, currently relies on the use of culture, serological testing (microscopic agglutination testing), and molecular detection. The purpose of this review is to describe new molecular diagnostics for Leptospira and discuss advancements in the use of available methods. Efforts have been focused on improving the clinical sensitivity of Leptospira detection using molecular methods. In this review, we describe a reoptimized pathogenic species-specific real-time PCR (targeting lipL32) that has demonstrated improved sensitivity, findings by two groups that real-time reverse-transcription PCR assays targeting the 16S rrs gene can improve detection, and two new loop-mediated amplification techniques. Quantitation of leptospiremia, detection in different specimen types, and the complementary roles played by molecular detection and microscopic agglutination testing will be discussed. Finally, a protocol for Leptospira strain subtyping using variable number tandem repeat targets and high-resolution melting will be described. Molecular diagnostics have an established role for the diagnosis of leptospirosis and provide an actionable diagnosis in the acute setting. The use of real-time reverse-transcription PCR for testing serum/plasma and cerebrospinal fluid, when available, may improve the detection of Leptospira without decreasing clinical specificity.

European consensus statement on leptospirosis in dogs and cats

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Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of worldwide distribution affecting most mammalian species. Clinical leptospirosis is common in dogs but seems to be rare in cats. Both dogs and cats however, can shed leptospires in the urine. This is problematic as it can lead to exposure of humans. The control ...

DISTRIBUSI SPASIAL LEPTOSPIROSIS DI KABUPATEN GRESIK, JAWA TIMUR

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Sunaryo Sunaryo

2015-01-01

Full Text Available AbstractLeptospirosis is a rodent borne disease, the agent is Leptospira sp bacteria and transmitted to human through rodent urine. Gresik district is endemic for leptospirosis. The case fatality rate in 2009, 2010 and 2011 was 28,13%, 33,33% and 45%. respectively. The objective of this study was to determine the distibution of leptospirosis cases, by using Geografhical Information System (GIS and epidemiology spatial analysis based on the environmental risk factors in Gresik district. The study was conducted in march to November 2012, using spatial analysis in a cross sectional design. The results showed that leptospirosis cases were fluctuated between 2009 and 2011, in 2012 a number of 26 cases were found and 3 cases was a results of screening. The predoninat cases was found among the males, mosly fishermen and farmers. In Gresik district there were three endemic sub-districts, Duduk Sampeyan, Bungah and Gresik sub-districts. The cases fluctuation pattern showed the increased of the cases in january up to April, corresponding with the rain pattern. Enviraonmental variables that  influenced  the  occurence  of  leptospirosis  in  Gresik  were  the  presence  of  fishponds, farming areas, medium rain fall, lowland, medium vegetation population, alluvial type of soil and mostly the abundant of rats in the area. And the most risky leptospirosis transmission was found in the cener of Gresik district. It was concluded that GIS can be used as a part of leptospirosis surveillance and temporal spatial monitoring.Keywords : GIS, leptospirosis, GresikAbstrakLeptospirosis merupakan penyakit bersumber rodensia, disebabkan oleh bakteri Leptospira sp, menular melalui luka kulit atau mukosa dengan air/tanah tercemar leptospira dari urine binatang. Kabupaten Gresik merupakan daerah endemis leptospirosis, dengan case fatality ratetahun 2009 sampai dengan 2011 berturut-turut sebesar 28,13%, 33,33% dan 45%. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui

Spatial epidemiology of suspected clinical leptospirosis in Sri Lanka.

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Robertson, C; Nelson, T A; Stephen, C

2012-04-01

Leptospirosis is one of the most widespread zoonoses in the world. A large outbreak of suspected human leptospirosis began in Sri Lanka during 2008. This study investigated spatial variables associated with suspected leptospirosis risk during endemic and outbreak periods. Data were obtained for monthly numbers of reported cases of suspected clinical leptospirosis for 2005-2009 for all of Sri Lanka. Space-time scan statistics were combined with regression modelling to test associations during endemic and outbreak periods. The cross-correlation function was used to test association between rainfall and leptospirosis at four locations. During the endemic period (2005-2007), leptospirosis risk was positively associated with shorter average distance to rivers and with higher percentage of agriculture made up of farms <0·20 hectares. Temporal correlation analysis of suspected leptospirosis cases and rainfall revealed a 2-month lag in rainfall-case association during the baseline period. Outbreak locations in 2008 were characterized by shorter distance to rivers and higher population density. The analysis suggests the possibility of household transmission in densely populated semi-urban villages as a defining characteristic of the outbreak. The role of rainfall in the outbreak remains to be investigated, although analysis here suggests a more complex relationship than simple correlation.

Modeling Leptospirosis in Trinidad, West Indies: A Waterborne Zoonosis of Increasing Public Health Importance

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Vega, M. C.; Opadeyi, J.

2012-12-01

Leptospirosis is a waterborne disease which is considered one of the most common and widely spread bacterial zoonosis and a growing global public health problem. Transmission in humans is caused by direct or indirect contact with contaminated water, soil or infected urine, blood or tissue of carrier animals. Because of the similarity with influenza, dengue and viral hepatitis symptoms it is often misdiagnosed with these diseases, but as the leptospirosis progresses, internal organs can be compromised, causing severe syndromes (e.g. Weil's disease), and potentially can cause death. In less developed countries, leptospirosis is often poorly recognized. In humid tropics and subtropics, where this disease has a high impact, climatic and environmental factors, such as rainfall, floods, land cover and their modifications have been frequently related to the occurrence of leptospirosis. In these regions one of the main problems for the study of the role of environmental factors on disease dynamics is the lack of accurate data since, in many cases, data are either unavailable or do not exist at all. Between 1980 and 2005 a total of 12,475 cases of leptospirosis were reported from all Caribbean countries, with 2,370 (19%) of these corresponding to Trinidad and Tobago, where the current average annual incidence rate is 1.84 per 100,000 population based on confirmed cases. In order to explore the underlying spatial variability of leptospirosis occurrence as related to environmental and socio-economic factors, a series of Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) models were developed. GWR was used to examine the determinants of leptospirosis in the communities of Trinidad using a total of 1,549 reported cases and 250 confirmed cases from 1998 to 2008. MODIS satellite imagery and GIS analysis were used to develop a series of covariables for each community including land cover, vegetation indices, wetness index (ln (α/tanβ)), river length per Ha, topography, percentage of free

PEMETAAN MODEL KERAWANAN LEPTOSPIROSIS BERDASARKAN FAKTOR RISIKO LINGKUNGAN DAN TRAP SUCCESS DI BANTUL, YOGYAKARTA

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Sunaryo Sunaryo

2016-09-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACTLeptospirosis is zoonotic disease, which is caused by leptospira bacteria and transmitted to human bycontact with contaminated animal urine. Bantul District is endemic area of leptospirosis, case fatality rateas much 11% in 2010. The aim of this research was to study distribution of spatial epidemiologyleptospirosis, and mapping of vulnerable leptospirosis model by using Geographical Information Systembased on environmental risk factor and trap success in Bantul.This research done in March until November2011, and applied spatial analysis by using cross sectional design. Result of this research• showedleptospirosis cases in 2011 reaching 135 cases, and group of adult men was dominant, mostly as farmer andveteriner worker. There were three claster with average distance between cases: 0 km and furthermost 30km. Leptospirosis pattern increased in March and April when high rainfall. Medium rainfall spatial,lowland, vegetation index medium, alluvial type of soil, existence of rat and landuse of ricefield wereenvironmental variable influence leptospirosis cases. High vulnerable leptospirosis zone located in Centerand West Bantul.Keyword : Mapping, leptospirosis, vulnerable model. ABSTRAK Leptospirosis merupakan penyakit bersumber rodensia, disebabkan oleh bakteri leptospira, menular melalui kulit luka atau mukosa dengan air/tanah tercemar leptospira dariurine binatang. Kabupaten Bantul merupakan daerah endemis leptospirosis,case fatality rate mencapai11% pada tahun2010. Penelitian ini bertujuan ingin mengetahui persebaran epidemiologi spasial leptospirosis, dan pemetaanmodel daerah rawan Leptospirosisdi Kabupaten Bantul berdasarkan faktor risiko lingkungan dan trap success tikus dengan aplikasi Sistem Informasi Geografis. Penelitian ini dilakukanpada Bulan Maret sampaiNovember 2011, menggunakan metode analisis spasial deskriptif dengan pendekatan potong lintang. Hasil: Kasus leptospirosispada tahun2011 mencapai135 kasusyang didominasi oleh

PEMERIKSAAN BAKTERI LEPTOSPIRA PADA SAMPEL DARAH MANUSIA SUSPECT LEPTOSPIROSIS MENGGUNAKAN METODE PCR (POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION

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Sefrita Tri Utami

2014-01-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACTLeptospirosis is a zoonotic disease, which is caused by leptospira. Leptospirosis cases often show no specificclinical symptoms and is difficult to diagnose without testing samples in the laboratory. Testing using PCR(Polymerase Chain Reaction is considered more accurate than the other methods. Components required in theexamination Leptospira bacteria in human blood samples using PCR method is DNA template, DNA polymeraseenzyme, forward primer (PU1 and SU1 and reverse primer (Lep R1, nuclease free water, Mg 2 +, and dNTPs.Examination of Leptospira bacteria in human blood samples include sampling, DNA isolation, examination byPCR, and electrophoresis running.Key words: leptospirosis, Leptospira, PCR methodsABSTRAKLeptospirosis adalah penyakit zoonosis yang disebabkan oleh bakteri Leptospira. Kasus leptospirosis seringtidak menunjukkan gejala klinis yang spesifik dan sulit didiagnosis tanpa pengujian sampel di laboratorium.Pengujian dengan menggunakan metode PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction dinilai lebih akurat dibandingkandengan metode yang lain. Komponen-komponen yang dibutuhkan dalam pemeriksaan bakteri Leptospira padasampel darah manusia menggunakan metode PCR adalah DNA template, enzim polymerase, Primer PU 1 danPrimer SU 1, Primer Lep R1, air, Mg2+ , dan dNTP. Pemeriksaan bakteri Leptospira pada sampel darah manusiameliputi pengambilan sampel, isolasi DNA, pemeriksaan dengan metode PCR, dan running elektroforesis.Kata kunci: leptospirosis, Leptospira, metode PCR

Seasonality of human leptospirosis in Reunion Island (Indian Ocean and its association with meteorological data.

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Amélie Desvars

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is a disease which occurs worldwide but particularly affects tropical areas. Transmission of the disease is dependent on its excretion by reservoir animals and the presence of moist environment which allows the survival of the bacteria. METHODS AND FINDINGS: A retrospective study was undertaken to describe seasonal patterns of human leptospirosis cases reported by the Centre National de Références des Leptospiroses (CNRL, Pasteur Institute, Paris between 1998 and 2008, to determine if there was an association between the occurrence of diagnosed cases and rainfall, temperature and global solar radiation (GSR. Meteorological data were recorded in the town of Saint-Benoît (Météo France "Beaufonds-Miria" station, located on the windward (East coast. Time-series analysis was used to identify the variables that best described and predicted the occurrence of cases of leptospirosis on the island. Six hundred and thirteen cases were reported during the 11-year study period, and 359 cases (58.56% were diagnosed between February and May. A significant correlation was identified between the number of cases in a given month and the associated cumulated rainfall as well as the mean monthly temperature recorded 2 months prior to diagnosis (r = 0.28 and r = 0.23 respectively. The predictive model includes the number of cases of leptospirosis recorded 1 month prior to diagnosis (b = 0.193, the cumulated monthly rainfall recorded 2 months prior to diagnosis (b = 0.145, the average monthly temperature recorded 0 month prior to diagnosis (b = 3.836, and the average monthly GSR recorded 0 month prior to diagnosis (b = -1.293. CONCLUSIONS: Leptospirosis has a seasonal distribution in Reunion Island. Meteorological data can be used to predict the occurrence of the disease and our statistical model can help to implement seasonal prevention measures.

Leptospirosis in rural Sri Lanka:

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hellung Schønning, Marie; Agampodi, Suneth; Phelps, Matthew

2016-01-01

Sri Lanka has one of the highest incidences of human leptospirosis worldwide. Outbreaks of this zoonotic infection are related to the monsoons and flooding. The present study investigates risks associated with environmental, animal and occupational exposure. Data was obtained from structured inte...

Global Burden of Leptospirosis: Estimated in Terms of Disability Adjusted Life Years

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Torgerson, Paul R.; Hagan, José E.; Costa, Federico; Calcagno, Juan; Kane, Michael; Martinez-Silveira, Martha S.; Goris, Marga G. A.; Stein, Claudia; Ko, Albert I.; Abela-Ridder, Bernadette

2015-01-01

Background Leptospirosis, a spirochaetal zoonosis, occurs in diverse epidemiological settings and affects vulnerable populations, such as rural subsistence farmers and urban slum dwellers. Although leptospirosis can cause life-threatening disease, there is no global burden of disease estimate in

FAKTOR LINGKUNGAN BIOTIK PADA KEJADIAN LEPTOSPIROSIS

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Asyhar Tunissea

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Beberapa penelitian tentang kejadian leptospirosis menunjukkan bahwa kejadian leptospirosis berkaitan dengan faktor lingkungan, baik lingkungan abiotik maupun biotik. Komponen lingkungan biotik yang diduga merupakan faktor risiko kejadian leptospirosis di Indonesia antara lain adalah vegetasi, keberhasilan penangkapan tikus (trap succes dan prevalensi leptospirosis pada tikus.

Acute leptospirosis in a triathlete.

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Abb, Jochen

2002-01-01

We report the case of a 38-year-old male patient with acute leptospirosis. The most probable cause of infection was repeated and prolonged exposure to contaminated river water (Neckar and Enz rivers) while preparing for participation in long-distance triathlon (swimming, biking, and running) competitions.

Cathelicidin Insufficiency in Patients with Fatal Leptospirosis.

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Lindow, Janet C; Wunder, Elsio A; Popper, Stephen J; Min, Jin-Na; Mannam, Praveen; Srivastava, Anup; Yao, Yi; Hacker, Kathryn P; Raddassi, Khadir; Lee, Patty J; Montgomery, Ruth R; Shaw, Albert C; Hagan, Jose E; Araújo, Guilherme C; Nery, Nivison; Relman, David A; Kim, Charles C; Reis, Mitermayer G; Ko, Albert I

2016-11-01

Leptospirosis causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide; however, the role of the host immune response in disease progression and high case fatality (>10-50%) is poorly understood. We conducted a multi-parameter investigation of patients with acute leptospirosis to identify mechanisms associated with case fatality. Whole blood transcriptional profiling of 16 hospitalized Brazilian patients with acute leptospirosis (13 survivors, 3 deceased) revealed fatal cases had lower expression of the antimicrobial peptide, cathelicidin, and chemokines, but more abundant pro-inflammatory cytokine receptors. In contrast, survivors generated strong adaptive immune signatures, including transcripts relevant to antigen presentation and immunoglobulin production. In an independent cohort (23 survivors, 22 deceased), fatal cases had higher bacterial loads (P = 0.0004) and lower anti-Leptospira antibody titers (P = 0.02) at the time of hospitalization, independent of the duration of illness. Low serum cathelicidin and RANTES levels during acute illness were independent risk factors for higher bacterial loads (P = 0.005) and death (P = 0.04), respectively. To investigate the mechanism of cathelicidin in patients surviving acute disease, we administered LL-37, the active peptide of cathelicidin, in a hamster model of lethal leptospirosis and found it significantly decreased bacterial loads and increased survival. Our findings indicate that the host immune response plays a central role in severe leptospirosis disease progression. While drawn from a limited study size, significant conclusions include that poor clinical outcomes are associated with high systemic bacterial loads, and a decreased antibody response. Furthermore, our data identified a key role for the antimicrobial peptide, cathelicidin, in mounting an effective bactericidal response against the pathogen, which represents a valuable new therapeutic approach for leptospirosis.

Cathelicidin Insufficiency in Patients with Fatal Leptospirosis.

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Janet C Lindow

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide; however, the role of the host immune response in disease progression and high case fatality (>10-50% is poorly understood. We conducted a multi-parameter investigation of patients with acute leptospirosis to identify mechanisms associated with case fatality. Whole blood transcriptional profiling of 16 hospitalized Brazilian patients with acute leptospirosis (13 survivors, 3 deceased revealed fatal cases had lower expression of the antimicrobial peptide, cathelicidin, and chemokines, but more abundant pro-inflammatory cytokine receptors. In contrast, survivors generated strong adaptive immune signatures, including transcripts relevant to antigen presentation and immunoglobulin production. In an independent cohort (23 survivors, 22 deceased, fatal cases had higher bacterial loads (P = 0.0004 and lower anti-Leptospira antibody titers (P = 0.02 at the time of hospitalization, independent of the duration of illness. Low serum cathelicidin and RANTES levels during acute illness were independent risk factors for higher bacterial loads (P = 0.005 and death (P = 0.04, respectively. To investigate the mechanism of cathelicidin in patients surviving acute disease, we administered LL-37, the active peptide of cathelicidin, in a hamster model of lethal leptospirosis and found it significantly decreased bacterial loads and increased survival. Our findings indicate that the host immune response plays a central role in severe leptospirosis disease progression. While drawn from a limited study size, significant conclusions include that poor clinical outcomes are associated with high systemic bacterial loads, and a decreased antibody response. Furthermore, our data identified a key role for the antimicrobial peptide, cathelicidin, in mounting an effective bactericidal response against the pathogen, which represents a valuable new therapeutic approach for leptospirosis.

Seroprevalence and risk factor analysis of human leptospirosis in distinct climatic regions of Pakistan.

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Sohail, Muhammad Luqman; Khan, Muhammad Sarwar; Ijaz, Muhammad; Naseer, Omer; Fatima, Zahida; Ahmad, Abdullah Saghir; Ahmad, Waqas

2018-05-01

Leptospirosis is a worldwide emerging infectious disease of zoonotic importance and large epidemics and epizootics have been reported all over the globe. A cross survey study was conducted to estimate seroprevalence of human leptospirosis in climatically distinct regions of Pakistan and to identify the risk factors associated with the disease. Blood samples from 360 humans were collected through convenient sampling, 120 from each of three study areas. Serological testing was performed using ELISA kit as per manufacturer's recommendations. The results showed an overall prevalence of 40.83% (95% CI; 35.71-46.11). Statistical analysis showed significant (P climatic region (50.83%; 95% CI; 41.55-60.07), followed by semi-arid region (44.16%; 95% CI; 35.11-53.52) and lowest in hot and dry region (27.50%; 95% CI; 19.75-36.40). After multivariate analysis age, gender, exposure to flooding water, source of water usage, disinfection schedule of surroundings and history of cut and wound were found significantly associated with the seropositivity of Leptospira. The present study, first to uncover seroprevalence of human Leptospira in different climatic regions of Pakistan, alarms about effect of climate on prevalence of Leptospira in the region. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Retrospective Study of Leptospirosis in Malaysia.

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Garba, Bashiru; Bahaman, Abdul Rani; Khairani-Bejo, Siti; Zakaria, Zunita; Mutalib, Abdul Rahim

2017-06-01

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease transmitted to humans and animals by direct or indirect contact with urine or body fluids from infected animals especially rodents. Infection can be associated with wide clinical spectrum varying from asymptomatic to severe multi-organ syndrome with life-threatening consequences. We conducted a review of published studies on incidences, case reports, sero-epidemiological surveys from year 2000 to 2015 using different electronic data bases. Our study revealed that majority of the studies were conducted in Peninsular Malaysia and predominantly among high-risk human groups. Most of the studies on domestic animals were conducted in the 1980s; hence, the current status of leptospirosis among domestic animal population remains largely unknown. There tend to be a sharp rise in incidence rate among human population in the year 2014 which was attributed to flooding and heavy rainfall experienced as well as recreational activities. Several gaps in epidemiological knowledge were also disclosed.

Autochthonous leptospirosis in South-East Austria, 2004-2012.

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Hoenigl, Martin; Wallner, Carina; Allerberger, Franz; Schmoll, Friedrich; Seeber, Katharina; Wagner, Jasmin; Valentin, Thomas; Zollner-Schwetz, Ines; Flick, Holger; Krause, Robert

2014-01-01

Leptospirosis is one of the world's mostly spread zoonoses causing acute fever. Over years, leptospirosis has been reported to occur rarely in Austria and Germany (annual incidence of 0.06/100,000 in Germany). Only imported cases have been on the increase. Objectives of this case-series study were to retrospectively assess epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of leptospirosis illnesses in South-East Austria, to describe risk exposures for autochthonous infections, and to compare patients with imported versus autochthonous infection. During the 9-year period between 2004 and 2012, 127 adult patients (49 females, 78 males) who tested positive by rapid point-of-care test for Leptospira-specific IgM (Leptocheck®) were identified through electronic hospital databases. Follow-up telephone interviews were conducted with 82 patients. A total of 114 (89.8%) of the 127 patients enrolled had acquired leptospirosis within Austria and 13 (10.2%) had potentially imported infections. Most autochthonous cases were diagnosed during the months of June and July, whereas fewest were diagnosed during the winter months. Exposure to rodents, recreational activities in woods or wet areas, gardening, cleaning of basements or huts were the most common risk exposures found in autochthonous infection. Serogroups Australis (n = 23), Sejroe (n = 22), and Icterohaemorrhagiae (n = 11) were identified most frequently by MAT testing in autochthonous infections. Patients with imported leptospirosis were significantly younger, less likely to be icteric and had significantly lower liver transaminase levels (p = 0.004) than those with autochthonous infections. Leptospirosis is endemic in South-East Austria. In contrast to reports from other countries we found a relatively high proportion of leptospirosis cases to be female (39% vs. ∼ 10%), likely the result of differing risk exposures for South-East Austria.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding leptospirosis among residents of riverside settlements of Santa Fe, Argentina.

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Ricardo, Tamara; Bergero, Laura C; Bulgarella, Esteban P; Previtali, M Andrea

2018-05-01

Leptospirosis is a global and re-emerging zoonotic disease caused by Leptospira spirochetes that are shed into the environment by infected animals. Humans can get infected via contact with animal hosts or contaminated environment. In Argentina, the highest annual incidences were reported in the province of Santa Fe, where epidemic outbreaks occurred during flooding events. This study examined the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding leptospirosis among residents of riverside slum settlements from Santa Fe after a major flood. A cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to 113 residents of 3 riverside settlements from Santa Fe. The influence of knowledge and attitudes regarding leptospirosis on the likelihood that an individual will use preventive practices were evaluated using linear mixed-effects models. The majority of respondents (83.2%) had previously heard about leptospirosis; however specific knowledge about leptospirosis was limited. The results of the modeling efforts, show that the likelihood of using preventive practices was associated with having greater knowledge score, but not with more positive attitudes. We also found that females were more likely to use safer practices than males. Even though the majority of respondents had heard about leptospirosis, a high percentage of them had limited knowledge regarding the severity of the disease and its prevalence in the region. Our results suggest that public health interventions in these riverside communities should focus on educating the public on the multiple dimensions of leptospirosis in order to attain greater adherence to preventive practices instead of intending to change the perceptions or attitudes towards the disease, which did not have a significant influence. The key challenge lies in identifying effective strategies to reach the high risk group for leptospirosis here that is male fishermen, who spend most of the time in precarious campsites on the river islands.

Brote de leptospirosis en terneros en recría en la provincia de Corrientes, Argentina Leptospirosis outbreak in calves from Corrientes Province, Argentina

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María G. Draghi

2011-03-01

Full Text Available La leptospirosis es una enfermedad infecciosa que produce importantes pérdidas económicas en la producción ganadera. Los signos característicos de la enfermedad son aborto, muerte embrionaria, muerte de terneros de pocos días de vida y mastitis. Se describe un brote de leptospirosis en terneros en actividad de recría. Se realizaron estudios histopatológicos, de hemoparásitos, inmunofluorescencia y cultivos bacterianos. Se aisló Leptospira interrogans serovar Pomona a partir de muestras de los terneros muertos.Leptospirosis is an infectious disease resulting in significant economic losses in livestock production. This disease causes abortion, embryo death, death of calves within the first few days of life and mastitis. We report a leptospirosis outbreak in calf growing and fattening. Histopathological and hemoparasite studies, immunofluorescence, and bacterial cultures were performed. A strain of Leptospira interrogans serovar Pomona was isolated from samples collected from dead calves.

Mapping of leptospirosis risk factor based on remote sensing image in Tembalang, Semarang City, Central Java

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Sunaryo Sunaryo

2012-09-01

Full Text Available AbstrakLatar belakang: Leptospirosis merupakan penyakit zoonosis yang disebabkan oleh bakteri leptospira dan menular kepada manusia melalui kontak dengan urine hewan dan lingkungan yang terkontaminasi bakteri leptospira. Kecamatan Tembalang merupakan daerah endemis leptospirosis selama tiga tahun terakhir. Tujuan penelitian ini mengkaji kegunaan citra penginderaan jauh untuk pemetaan faktor risiko lingkungan leptospirosis.Metode: Penelitian ini menggunakan cara potong lintang, subyek sebanyak 246 dipetakan dengan GPS. Dengan program ArcGis 9.2 kasus leptospirosis ditumpang susun dengan citra Quickbird, kemudian dilakukan interpretasi kenampakan visual, dan dilakukan digitasi layar untuk identifi kasi faktor risiko secara visual.Hasil: Berdasarkan visualisasi digital diperoleh data bahwa kasus leptospirosis tahun 2009 terbanyak tersebar membentuk klaster di wilayah Tembalang dengan indeks jarak terdekat 0,009 km, sedangkan indeks jarak terjauh 18 km. Kasus lebih banyak ditemukan pada anak-anak dan remaja laki-laki, secara temporal kasus meningkat pada musim kemarau, antara bulan Juli dan Agustus. Hasil interpretasi visual dan digitasi diperoleh peta penggunaan lahan, badan air, pemukiman, area luasan banjir, kerapatan vegetasi dan ketinggian tempat.Kesimpulan: Citra penginderaan jauh resolusi spasial tinggi sangat baik untuk pemetaan faktor risiko leptospirosis. Sebaran kasus leptospirosis membentuk klaster di wilayah Tembalang, kasus didominasi anakanakdan remaja laki-laki. (Health Science Indones 2012;1:45-50Kata kunci: citra penginderaan jauh, leptospirosis, Tembalang AbstractBackground: Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease, caused by leptospira bacteria and transmitted to human by contact though contaminated animal urine and environment. Tembalang Sub District is endemic area ofleptospirosis and increased at last three years. The aim of this research was to study the ability and usefulness of image remote sensing for mapping as distribution

Pembelian Ternak dan Kelembaban Tinggi Merupakan Faktor Risiko Leptospirosis pada Sapi di Girimulyo, Kulon Progo, Jogjakarta (PURCHASE OF CATTLE AND HIGH HUMIDITY WERE RISK FACTORS OF BOVINE LEPTOSPIROSIS IN GIRIMULYO, KULON PROGO DISTRICT

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Guntari Titik Mulyani

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is an acute infectious disease could to attack humans and animals such as dogs, cats,cows, pigs, and wild animals such as rats, weasels and squirrels. The death rate of human leptospirosis inIndonesia reached 2.5 to 16.5%. Leptospirosis attacked approximately 274 residents, 18 fatalities atKulonprogo disctrict, and designated as Extraordinary Events in 2011. The purpose of this reasearch is todetermine risk factors affecting the prevalence of leptospirosis in cattle in the area of human leptospirosisin Girimulyo, Kulon Progo. This study used 132 samples of cattle blood. Methods of examination withMicro Aglutination Test (MAT conducted at the Center for Veterinary Research, Bogor. Micro AglutinationTest is done by creating a serum dilution with PBS in stages then added antigen in the form of various cultures leptospira serovar. Subsequently incubated at 28-30 ° C for 2 hours, and was reading the resultsunder a microscope dark field / phase contrast. Endpoint reading was 50% agglutination, highest finalserum dilution in serum-antigen mixtures that showed 50% agglutination is called the titer. Serum witha titer of 1:100 or more against one or more tested positive for serovar. Micro Aglutination Test result wasthe dependent variable (Y, while the independent variables (X were factors of farmers, animal factors,enclosure factors, and feed factors. Univariate analysis was done to see descriptively each variable studied.Association between the prevalence of leptospirosis and risk factors was analyzed by Chi Square.Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis was used to build models of leptospirosis disease to investigatethe risk factors associated with leptospirosis. Variables that influence the prevalence of leptospirosiswere measured magnitude of association by Odd Ratio. The results of study that the prevalence of bovineleptospirosis in Girimulyo subdistrict, Kulonprogo district was 7.6%. Risk factors for the prevalence ofleptospirosis

Leptospirosis in Mexico: Epidemiology and Potential Distribution of Human Cases

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Sánchez-Montes, Sokani; Espinosa-Martínez, Deborah V.; Ríos-Muñoz, César A.; Berzunza-Cruz, Miriam; Becker, Ingeborg

2015-01-01

Background Leptospirosis is widespread in Mexico, yet the potential distribution and risk of the disease remain unknown. Methodology/Principal Findings We analysed morbidity and mortality according to age and gender based on three sources of data reported by the Ministry of Health and the National Institute of Geography and Statics of Mexico, for the decade 2000–2010. A total of 1,547 cases were reported in 27 states, the majority of which were registered during the rainy season, and the most affected age group was 25–44 years old. Although leptospirosis has been reported as an occupational disease of males, analysis of morbidity in Mexico showed no male preference. A total number of 198 deaths were registered in 21 states, mainly in urban settings. Mortality was higher in males (61.1%) as compared to females (38.9%), and the case fatality ratio was also increased in males. The overall case fatality ratio in Mexico was elevated (12.8%), as compared to other countries. We additionally determined the potential disease distribution by examining the spatial epidemiology combined with spatial modeling using ecological niche modeling techniques. We identified regions where leptospirosis could be present and created a potential distribution map using bioclimatic variables derived from temperature and precipitation. Our data show that the distribution of the cases was more related to temperature (75%) than to precipitation variables. Ecological niche modeling showed predictive areas that were widely distributed in central and southern Mexico, excluding areas characterized by extreme climates. Conclusions/Significance In conclusion, an epidemiological surveillance of leptospirosis is recommended in Mexico, since 55.7% of the country has environmental conditions fulfilling the criteria that favor the presence of the disease. PMID:26207827

Leptospirosis in New Orleans.

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Toliver, Herman L; Krane, N Kevin

2014-02-01

Leptospirosis is an unusual but reemerging zoonotic infectious disease in the United States where the diagnosis may not be suspected when patients initially present. The case report of a patient from New Orleans who presented with jaundice, hypotension and acute kidney injury is presented. In this patient, a broad differential diagnosis was considered on presentation and serologic testing for leptospirosis eventually confirmed the diagnosis. A review of the clinical manifestations, diagnostic studies and treatment are discussed so that leptospirosis will be considered more carefully in the initial evaluation and management of similar patients.

Pulmonary manifestations of leptospirosis

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Sameer Gulati

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis has a spectrum of presentation which ranges from mild disease to a severe form comprising of jaundice and renal failure. Involvement of the lung can vary from subtle clinical features to deadly pulmonary hemorrhage and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Of late, it has been identified that leptospirosis can present atypically with predominant pulmonary manifestations. This can delay diagnosis making and hence optimum treatment. The purpose of this review is to bring together all the reported pulmonary manifestations of leptospirosis and the recent trends in the management.

Leptospirosis in Spanish travelers returning from Chiang Mai: A case series.

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Rodriguez-Valero, Natalia; Moriñigo, Helena Moza; Martínez, Miguel J; Peiró, Aida; Oliveira, Ines; Bodro, Marta; Gómez-Junyent, Joan; Gascon, Joaquim; Muñoz, Jose

Leptospirosis is an important zoonosis worldwide, nevertheless is often poor recognized in non tropical settings. In Thailand is becoming an emerging disease and Chiang Mai could become a popular spot to acquire the disease amongst travelers. We describe three cases of imported leptospirosis undifferentiated fever after travelling to Thailand during the summer of 2015 diagnosed at two Spanish hospitals. Our three patients probably acquired leptospirosis while swimming in freshwater around Chiang Mai, a Thailand's northern region with moderate incidence of leptopirosis. Travelers had normal white blood cell counts and low platelets, suggesting leptospirosis after ruling out other imported diseases such as malaria, dengue or typhoid. As recent findings point out, low platelets and normal white blood cell counts are clinical features that could help the clinician to suspect Leptospirosis infection. It should be always considered as a cause of fever, particularly if travelers come from a tropical country and have had contact with water or flooding, especially during rainy season. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Major epidemiological factors associated with leptospirosis in Malaysia.

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Garba, Bashiru; Bahaman, Abdul Rani; Bejo, Siti Khairani; Zakaria, Zunita; Mutalib, Abdul Rahim; Bande, Faruku

2018-02-01

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by a diverse pathogenic leptospira species and serovars. The disease is transmitted directly following contact with infected urine and other body fluids or indirectly after contact with water or soil contaminated with infected urine. While a wide range of domestic and wild animals are known to be reservoirs of the disease, occupation, international travel and recreation are beginning to assume a center stage in the transmission of the disease. The objective of this study is to review available literatures to determine the extent to which these aforementioned risk factors aid the transmission, increase incidence and outbreak of leptospirosis in Malaysia. The review was conducted based on prevalence, incidence, and outbreak cases of leptospirosis among human and susceptible animals predisposed to several of the risk factors identified in Malaysia. Literature searchers and reviews were conducted based on articles published in citation index journals, Malaysian ministry of health reports, periodicals as well as reliable newspapers articles and online media platforms. In each case, the newspapers and online media reports were supported by press briefings by officials of the ministry of health and other agencies responsible. The disease is endemic in Malaysia, and this was attributed to the large number of reservoir animals, suitable humid and moist environment for proliferation as well as abundant forest resources. Over 30 different serovars have been detected in Malaysia in different domestic and wild animal species. This, in addition to the frequency of flooding which has increased in recent years, and has helped increase the risk of human exposure. Occupation, recreation, flooding and rodent population were all identified as an important source and cause of the disease within the study population. There is an urgent need for the government and other stakeholders to intensify efforts to control the spread of the disease

Challenge in Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment of Leptospirosis

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Dora I. Ríos

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Introduction: Leptospirosis is an acute febrile disease caused by the leptospira. It is considered a zoonosis that affects a variety of animals, both wild and domestic (mainly rodents. Humans become infected accidentally by contact with urine or tissues from infected animals. This pathology has variable clinical manifestations, ranging from inapparent infections and aseptic meningitis, to severe forms such as the Weil syndrome. Development: We present the case of a young patient of 22 years old with fever quantified peaks of 40° C, chills, profuse sweating, headache, muscle and joint pain in knees and malleoli, retroorbital and retrosternal pain; and appetite loss. The symptoms occurred after 20 days of having practiced extreme water sports. Conclusion: The late diagnosis of the patient and hospital readmission are the result of several factors; First, the homology with other infectious diseases that present acute febrile illness with similar symptoms as dengue , malaria, influenza , yellow fever , brucellosis; and secondly the lack of expertise and poor contact with patients who present this disease by the medical staff. Correct antibiotic treatment and proper support reduce morbidity and mortality. The objective of this article is to describe a case of human leptospirosis and make a review of the literature in order to analyze the epidemiological characteristics and relevant clinical manifestations.

Human leptospirosis: occurrence of serovars of Leptospira spp. in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, from 2008 to 2012.

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Oliveira, Marluce Aparecida Assunção; Leal, Élida Aparecida; Correia, Max Assunção; Serufo Filho, José Carlos; Dias, Ricardo Souza; Serufo, José Carlos

Leptospirosis is an infectious and acute disease caused by Leptospira spp. that have high epidemic potential. This study verified the main Leptospira spp. serovars detected by MAT from serum of patients with suspicion of leptospirosis from 2008 to 2012 in Minas Gerais State. The laboratory received sera from 4654 patients. All serum were screened by IgM-ELISA according to the manufacturer's instructions. Each sample reactive or indeterminate were tested against twenty-four serovars of Leptospira by MAT. In this study, 597 patients were classified as reactive on MAT. Only 301 patients were confirmed by laboratory test. It was not possible confirmation by laboratory diagnosis of 296 patients. Among the samples classified as reactive on MAT, 273 patients exhibited titers bigger than 800 for one or more serovars; seroconversion was detected in 28 cases. Percentage of 85.1% of the samples reactive on MAT corresponded to males, 39.4% corresponded to patients aged between 20 and 39 years old. The most common serovars found were Icterohaemorrhagiae, Andamana, Patoc, Tarassovi, Copenhageni, Hardjo and Australis. Concerning the samples that exhibited titers bigger than 800, serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae was also the most common, followed by Copenhageni, Andamana, Patoc, Tarassovi, Grippotyphosa and Canicola. In this study, 40% of the cases occurred to the metropolitan area, state capital and 34 neighboring towns. Our results show the possibly spreading serovars in Minas Gerais State and contribute to knowledge of human leptospirosis, aiming at improving the prevention, control of the disease, as well as the treatment of infected patients. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Global Morbidity and Mortality of Leptospirosis: A Systematic Review.

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Federico Costa

Full Text Available Leptospirosis, a spirochaetal zoonosis, occurs in diverse epidemiological settings and affects vulnerable populations, such as rural subsistence farmers and urban slum dwellers. Although leptospirosis is a life-threatening disease and recognized as an important cause of pulmonary haemorrhage syndrome, the lack of global estimates for morbidity and mortality has contributed to its neglected disease status.We conducted a systematic review of published morbidity and mortality studies and databases to extract information on disease incidence and case fatality ratios. Linear regression and Monte Carlo modelling were used to obtain age and gender-adjusted estimates of disease morbidity for countries and Global Burden of Disease (GBD and WHO regions. We estimated mortality using models that incorporated age and gender-adjusted disease morbidity and case fatality ratios. The review identified 80 studies on disease incidence from 34 countries that met quality criteria. In certain regions, such as Africa, few quality assured studies were identified. The regression model, which incorporated country-specific variables of population structure, life expectancy at birth, distance from the equator, tropical island, and urbanization, accounted for a significant proportion (R(2 = 0.60 of the variation in observed disease incidence. We estimate that there were annually 1.03 million cases (95% CI 434,000-1,750,000 and 58,900 deaths (95% CI 23,800-95,900 due to leptospirosis worldwide. A large proportion of cases (48%, 95% CI 40-61% and deaths (42%, 95% CI 34-53% were estimated to occur in adult males with age of 20-49 years. Highest estimates of disease morbidity and mortality were observed in GBD regions of South and Southeast Asia, Oceania, Caribbean, Andean, Central, and Tropical Latin America, and East Sub-Saharan Africa.Leptospirosis is among the leading zoonotic causes of morbidity worldwide and accounts for numbers of deaths, which approach or exceed those

A process for developing multisectoral strategies for zoonoses: the case of leptospirosis in Fiji.

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Reid, Simon A; Rodney, Anna; Kama, Mike; Hill, Peter S

2017-08-22

Zoonotic diseases such as leptospirosis occur as a result of the often complex interactions that exist at the human-animal-environment interface. The most obvious consequence of this complexity is the need for the health sector to partner with institutions in other sectors of society such as agriculture, labour and local government. This multisectoral engagement is complicated by the different agendas and cultures of the various institutions and their ability to "see" their role and ant benefits in a collaborative response. The research used a realist review methodology combined with systems thinking frameworks to determine the optimal strategy and governance for the prevention and control of leptospirosis in Fiji. The process included facilitated workshops with multiple stakeholders to determine the needs, issues and potential interventions that was guided by a synthesis of locally available data and information on the impact of leptospirosis. This process was informed by interviews with bureaucrats from different government ministries. Stakeholders concurred that leptospirosis generally only received wide-spread attention in outbreaks, when there is media coverage of deaths or a large number of hospitalisations. In general, all ministries expressed support for a multisectoral strategy but saw the Ministry of Health and Medical Services as the lead agency with overall responsibility. The final consultation workshop yielded a clearly articulated goal to reduce the case fatality rate attributable to leptospirosis by 50% by 2020 and 4 overarching strategies: 1) improved clinical management of leptospirosis, 2) improved surveillance for leptospirosis, 3) enhanced communication to minimise risk and improve health seeking behaviours, and 4) strengthening coordination and governance structures. Human mortality and morbidity remained the primary drive for government action, defining leptospirosis as a human health problem. The process of deliberative consultation, and the

Studying risk factors associated with Human Leptospirosis

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Ramachandra Kamath

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Leptospirosis is one of the most under diagnosed and underreported disease in both developed and developing countries including India. It is established that environmental conditions and occupational habit of the individuals put them at risk of acquiring disease, which varies from community to community. Various seroprevalence studies across the world have documented emerging situation of this neglected tropical disease, but limited have probed to identify the risk factors, especially in India. Objectives: The objective of this study was to identify the environmental and occupational risk factors associated with the disease in Udupi District. Materials and Methods: This population-based case-control study was carried out in Udupi, a District in Southern India from April 2012 until August 2012. Udupi is considered to be endemic for Leptospirosis and reported 116 confirmed cases in the year 2011. Seventy of 116 laboratory confirmed cases and 140 sex matched neighborhood healthy controls participated in the study. A predesigned, semi-structured and validated questionnaire was used for data collection through house to house visit and observations were noted about environmental conditions. Univariate analysis followed by multivariate analysis (back ward conditional logistic regression was performed by using STATA version 9.2 (StataCorp, College Station, TX, USA to identify potential risk factors. Results: Occupational factors such as outdoor activities (matched odds ratio [OR] of 3.95, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.19-13.0, presence of cut or wound at body parts during work (matched OR: 4.88, CI: 1.83-13.02 and environmental factors such as contact with rodents through using the food materials ate by rat (matched OR: 4.29, CI: 1.45-12.73 and contact with soil or water contaminated with urine of rat (matched OR: 4.58, CI: 1.43-14.67 were the risk factors identified to be associated with disease. Conclusion: Leptospirosis is still

Genetic diversity of Leptospira in northwestern Colombia: first report of Leptospira santarosai as a recognised leptospirosis agent

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Ronald Guillermo Peláez Sanchez

Full Text Available The region of Antioquia in northeastern Colombia has the highest number of reported leptospirosis cases in the country. It also shows high seroprevalence indexes in the general population and socio-environmental conditions favourable for the transmission of the disease between humans and animals. In this study, 25 Leptospira isolates from Colombia’s Antioquia department were identified to the species level as L. santarosai (12, L. interrogans (9 and L. meyeri (4 using phylogenetic analysis of the Amidohydrolase gene. Typing at the serovar level was performed using multilocus sequence typing (MLST and monoclonal antibodies. The serovars Canalzonae, Babudieri, Alice, Beye, and Copenhageni have been identified as causing human or animal infections in Antioquia, Colombia. The four environmental isolates were not identified to the serovar level. L. santarosai serovar Canalzonae and Alice were identified as new etiologic agents of human leptospirosis in Antioquia, Colombia. This paper reports species and serovars that were previously unknown in the region.

Leptospirose pulmonar Pulmonary leptospirosis

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João Cláudio Barroso Pereira

2007-12-01

Full Text Available No presente artigo, os autores discutem brevemente sobre a leptospirose, realçando a forma pulmonar da doença. Revê-se a patologia, achados clínicos, diagnóstico por métodos de imagem e broncoscopia e tratamento da leptospirose pulmonar. É também lembrado o diagnóstico clínico e radiológico precoces, para que se possa iniciar terapêutica adequada. Os autores concluem que a forma pulmonar da leptospirose deve ser sempre considerada como causa e diagnóstico diferencial da hemorragia alveolar difusa e síndroma de dificuldade respiratória do adulto.In this article, the authors discuss briefly the leptospirosis, emphasizing mainly the pulmonary form of disease. The authors review pathology, clinical findings, imaging and broncoscopy diagnosis, treatment of pulmonary leptospirosis. It is also remembered about early clinics and radiology diagnosis to start therapeutics. The authors conclude that pulmonary form of disease must always be remembered and considered as cause and differential diagnosis of Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage and Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Diseño de un instrumento para evaluar el nivel de conocimientos, sobre leptospirosis humana, en médicos de la atención primaria de salud Design of a tool to assess the knowledge level on human leptospirosis in primary health care physicians

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Denis Verdasquera Corcho

2010-09-01

validated by expert consultation and assessed thorough a pilot study conducted in the 7 health areas of Boyeros municipality to assess the knowledge level of primary care assistant physicians on the leptospirosis. RESULTS: the tool includes three items (general data, patient care problems, updating ways on this subject and knowledges assessment. At the same time, the paragraph aimed to knowledges exploration is subdivided into 3 sections to explore in a independent way the clinical treatment elements, microbiologic diagnosis and epidemiologic features of disease. The items of each paragraph were adapted considering the Cuban guidelines to prevention and control of leptospirosis, as well as the lineaments for diagnosis, surveillance and control of the human leptospirosis published by WHO and the International Society of Leptospirosis. CONCLUSIONS: the use of a standardized tool of this type will allow to assess the knowledge level of assistant physicians on this community level zoonosis and thus to contribute to design local and regional hard-hitting strategies on lethality caused by this entity.

Leptospirosis

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... It occurs when you come in contact with leptospira bacteria. ... Haake DA, Levett PN. Leptospira species (leptospirosis). In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, ...

Eficacia y seguridad de una vacuna contra la leptospirosis humana en Cuba Efficacy and safety of a vaccine against human leptospirosis in Cuba

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Raydel Martínez

2004-04-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVOS: Evaluar la eficacia de la vacuna cubana contra la leptospirosis vax-SPIRAL y aportar información adicional acerca de la seguridad de esta vacuna. MÉTODOS: Ensayo de eficacia (fase III controlado, aleatorizado y con doble enmascaramiento de la vacuna cubana contra la leptospirosis vax-SPIRAL (Instituto Finlay, Cuba. Como control se utilizó la vacuna recombinante contra la hepatitis B Heberbiovac-HB (Heber Biotec, Cuba. Como unidad de aleatorización para la asignación al grupo de estudio o al grupo testigo se emplearon los 523 consultorios de los médicos de familia existentes en los municipios seleccionados. El estudio abarcó a toda persona de 20 a 64 años de edad de uno u otro sexo que residía en los municipios de Ranchuelo, Quemado, Santo Domingo, Encrucijada, Corralillo, Cifuentes y Camajuaní, en la provincia de Villa Clara, ubicada en la región central de Cuba, que aceptó participar voluntariamente en el ensayo. La vacunación se efectuó en los consultorios de los médicos de familia entre febrero y julio de 1998, con un intervalo de 6 semanas entre las dos dosis. El período de seguimiento fue de 12 meses. Se consideró positivo un caso si había recibido las dos dosis de la vacuna asignada y había enfermado de leptospirosis, con diagnóstico confirmado mediante métodos serológicos y microbiológicos, después de 21 días de aplicada la segunda dosis. Se calcularon la eficacia de la vacuna y el riesgo relativo (RR de enfermar de leptospirosis después de la vacunación. Para el estudio de seguridad se escogió a dos personas al azar entre las personas vacunadas en cada uno de los consultorios que participaron en el estudio de eficacia. El seguimiento de las reacciones adversas locales y sistémicas lo realizaron los médicos de familia durante los siete días posteriores a la aplicación de cada dosis. El nivel de significación se fijó en 0,05. RESULTADOS: En total se vacunó a 101 832 personas, de las cuales 50

A model of Leptospirosis infection in an African rodent to determine risk to humans: Seasonal fluctuations and the impact of rodent control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holt, J; Davis, S; Leirs, Herwig

2006-01-01

Human leptospirosis (Leptospira spp. infection) is aworldwide public health problem that is of greatest concern for humid tropical and subtropical regions. The magnitude of the problem in these areas is larger because of the climatic and environmental conditions the bacterium face outside...... their hosts but also because of the frequency of contacts between people and sources of infection. Rodents are thought to play the most important role in the transmission of human leptospirosis. We here model the dynamics of infection in an African rodent (Mastomys natalensis) that is thought...... to be the principal source of infection in parts of Tanzania. Our model, representing the climatic conditions in central Tanzania, suggests a strong seasonality in the force of infection on humans with a peak in the abundance of infectious mice between January and April in agricultural environments. In urban areas...

Leptospirosis, water sports, and chemoprophylaxis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haake, David A.; Dundoo, Manjula; Cader, Rumi; Kubak, Bernard M.; Hartskeerl, Rudy A.; Sejvar, James J.; Ashford, David A.

2002-01-01

Recreational activities, such as water sports and adventure travel, are emerging as an important risk factor for leptospirosis, a potentially fatal zoonosis. We report the clinical course of 2 patients who acquired leptospirosis through participation in water sports. Physicians caring for patients

Environmental risk of leptospirosis infections in the Netherlands: Spatial modelling of environmental risk factors of leptospirosis in the Netherlands.

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Ente J J Rood

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is a globally emerging zoonotic disease, associated with various climatic, biotic and abiotic factors. Mapping and quantifying geographical variations in the occurrence of leptospirosis and the surrounding environment offer innovative methods to study disease transmission and to identify associations between the disease and the environment. This study aims to investigate geographic variations in leptospirosis incidence in the Netherlands and to identify associations with environmental factors driving the emergence of the disease. Individual case data derived over the period 1995-2012 in the Netherlands were geocoded and aggregated by municipality. Environmental covariate data were extracted for each municipality and stored in a spatial database. Spatial clusters were identified using kernel density estimations and quantified using local autocorrelation statistics. Associations between the incidence of leptospirosis and the local environment were determined using Simultaneous Autoregressive Models (SAR explicitly modelling spatial dependence of the model residuals. Leptospirosis incidence rates were found to be spatially clustered, showing a marked spatial pattern. Fitting a spatial autoregressive model significantly improved model fit and revealed significant association between leptospirosis and the coverage of arable land, built up area, grassland and sabulous clay soils. The incidence of leptospirosis in the Netherlands could effectively be modelled using a combination of soil and land-use variables accounting for spatial dependence of incidence rates per municipality. The resulting spatially explicit risk predictions provide an important source of information which will benefit clinical awareness on potential leptospirosis infections in endemic areas.

Seroprevalence of Leptospirosis in Working Dogs.

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Lau, S F; Wong, J Y; Khor, K H; Roslan, M A; Abdul Rahman, M S; Bejo, S K; Radzi, R; Bahaman, A R

2017-12-01

Working dogs are canine animals that have been trained to assist human beings in carrying out various tasks. They help in guarding property, performing rescues, assisting the visually impaired or physically handicapped, searching for drugs, explosives, and others. Leptospirosis is one of the most widespread zoonotic diseases in the world and a commonly occurring disease of the tropics and subtropics. In Malaysia, all working dogs are normally vaccinated with serovars, Pomona, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Canicola, and Grippotyphosa based on protocols recommended from other countries. The duration of immunity in vaccinated dogs for Leptospira can last up to 13 months; however, there is no full crossprotection between the different serovars. Five representative canine units from different government agencies in Malaysia (n = 96 dogs) were recruited in this study. For detection, the microscopic agglutination test was performed by incubating the serum from dogs with various serovars of leptospires, namely, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Canicola, Pomona, Grippotyphosa, Australis, Bataviae, Javanica, Tarassovi, Hebdomadis, Lai, and Pyrogenes. The plasma obtained was used for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis, for the detection of 16S rRNA, and lipL 32 genes of Leptospira. Out of the 96 dogs sampled, only 3 dogs were positive toward serovars, Australis, Bataviae, and Javanica, based on the cutoff point at 1:80. The seroprevalence of canine leptospirosis in this population was 3.1% (n = 3/96). However, all 96 blood samples of working dogs tested negative for both pathogenic and nonpathogenic Leptospira genes. The results revealed that, by vaccination alone, working dogs were not fully protected against leptospirosis and could pose a risk to dog handlers. A preventative and control protocol for leptospirosis is warranted, and its implementation should be monitored and improved accordingly from time to time, in order to maintain a healthy condition in both working dogs and their

The Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction in leptospirosis: a systematic review.

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Gilles Guerrier

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is an endemo-epidemic zoonotic disease associated with potentially fatal renal, cardiovascular or pulmonary failure. Recommended treatment includes antibiotics, which may induce a Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction (JHR. Since little information on the importance of this adverse event is available, we performed this review to quantify frequency and impact of JHR in leptospirosis management. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: This review systematically summarizes the literature on the JHR in leptospirosis. To approach the broader aspects of the subject, articles considering the treatment of leptospirosis, national leptospirosis guidelines and textbook and technical reports of the World Health Organisation were reviewed. Publications describing JHR in leptospirosis are very limited and consist mainly of single case reports and small case series. A single randomized control trial specifically assessed the JHR occurrence, but it has never been systematically investigated in large trials. Not all guidelines and not all literature on leptospirosis mention this reaction which can be fatal. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Although generally assumed to be a rare event, the true prevalence of JHR in leptospirosis is unknown and the awareness of this event is insufficient. All leptospirosis guidelines and local leptospirosis protocols should stress on systematic monitoring for clinical status early after antibiotic administration. Large well designed studies are required to precise the incidence and the impact of JHR as well as the severity and rates between various antibiotics.

Prospective evaluation of three rapid diagnostic tests for diagnosis of human leptospirosis.

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Marga G A Goris

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of leptospirosis by the microscopic agglutination test (MAT or by culture is confined to specialized laboratories. Although ELISA techniques are more common, they still require laboratory facilities. Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs can be used for easy point-of-care diagnosis. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the RDTs LeptoTek Dri Dot, LeptoTek Lateral Flow, and Leptocheck-WB, prospectively. METHODOLOGY: During 2001 to 2012, one or two of the RDTs at the same time have been applied prior to routine diagnostics (MAT, ELISA and culture on serum specimens from participants sent in for leptospirosis diagnosis. The case definition was based on MAT, ELISA and culture results. Participants not fulfilling the case definition were considered not to have leptospirosis. The diagnostic accuracy was determined based on the 1(st submitted sample and paired samples, either in an overall analysis or stratified according to days post onset of illness. RESULTS: The overall sensitivity and specificity for the LeptoTek Dri Dot was 75% respectively 96%, for the LeptoTek Lateral Flow 78% respectively 95%, and for the Leptocheck-WB 78% respectively 98%. Based on the 1(st submitted sample the sensitivity was low (51% for LeptoTek Dri Dot, 69% for LeptoTek Lateral Flow, and 55% for Leptocheck-WB, but substantially increased when the results of paired samples were combined, although accompanied by a lower specificity (82% respectively 91% for LeptoTek Dri Dot, 86% respectively 84% for LeptoTek Lateral Flow, and 80% respectively 93% for Leptocheck-WB. CONCLUSIONS: All three tests present antibody tests contributing to the diagnosis of leptospirosis, thus supporting clinical suspicion and contributing to awareness. Since the overall sensitivity of the tested RDTs did not exceed 80%, one should be cautious to rely only on an RDT result, and confirmation by reference tests is strongly recommended.

Epidemiology of Leptospirosis in Africa: A Systematic Review of a Neglected Zoonosis and a Paradigm for 'One Health' in Africa.

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Allan, Kathryn J; Biggs, Holly M; Halliday, Jo E B; Kazwala, Rudovick R; Maro, Venance P; Cleaveland, Sarah; Crump, John A

2015-01-01

Leptospirosis is an important but neglected bacterial zoonosis that has been largely overlooked in Africa. In this systematic review, we aimed to summarise and compare current knowledge of: (1) the geographic distribution, prevalence, incidence and diversity of acute human leptospirosis in Africa; and (2) the geographic distribution, host range, prevalence and diversity of Leptospira spp. infection in animal hosts in Africa. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we searched for studies that described (1) acute human leptospirosis and (2) pathogenic Leptospira spp. infection in animals. We performed a literature search using eight international and regional databases for English and non-English articles published between January 1930 to October 2014 that met out pre-defined inclusion criteria and strict case definitions. We identified 97 studies that described acute human leptospirosis (n = 46) or animal Leptospira infection (n = 51) in 26 African countries. The prevalence of acute human leptospirosis ranged from 2 3% to 19 8% (n = 11) in hospital patients with febrile illness. Incidence estimates were largely restricted to the Indian Ocean islands (3 to 101 cases per 100,000 per year (n = 6)). Data from Tanzania indicate that human disease incidence is also high in mainland Africa (75 to 102 cases per 100,000 per year). Three major species (Leptospira borgpetersenii, L. interrogans and L. kirschneri) are predominant in reports from Africa and isolates from a diverse range of serogroups have been reported in human and animal infections. Cattle appear to be important hosts of a large number of Leptospira serogroups in Africa, but few data are available to allow comparison of Leptospira infection in linked human and animal populations. We advocate a 'One Health' approach to promote multidisciplinary research efforts to improve understanding of the animal to human transmission of leptospirosis on the African

Epidemiology of Leptospirosis in Africa: A Systematic Review of a Neglected Zoonosis and a Paradigm for 'One Health' in Africa.

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Kathryn J Allan

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is an important but neglected bacterial zoonosis that has been largely overlooked in Africa. In this systematic review, we aimed to summarise and compare current knowledge of: (1 the geographic distribution, prevalence, incidence and diversity of acute human leptospirosis in Africa; and (2 the geographic distribution, host range, prevalence and diversity of Leptospira spp. infection in animal hosts in Africa.Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA guidelines, we searched for studies that described (1 acute human leptospirosis and (2 pathogenic Leptospira spp. infection in animals. We performed a literature search using eight international and regional databases for English and non-English articles published between January 1930 to October 2014 that met out pre-defined inclusion criteria and strict case definitions.We identified 97 studies that described acute human leptospirosis (n = 46 or animal Leptospira infection (n = 51 in 26 African countries. The prevalence of acute human leptospirosis ranged from 2 3% to 19 8% (n = 11 in hospital patients with febrile illness. Incidence estimates were largely restricted to the Indian Ocean islands (3 to 101 cases per 100,000 per year (n = 6. Data from Tanzania indicate that human disease incidence is also high in mainland Africa (75 to 102 cases per 100,000 per year. Three major species (Leptospira borgpetersenii, L. interrogans and L. kirschneri are predominant in reports from Africa and isolates from a diverse range of serogroups have been reported in human and animal infections. Cattle appear to be important hosts of a large number of Leptospira serogroups in Africa, but few data are available to allow comparison of Leptospira infection in linked human and animal populations. We advocate a 'One Health' approach to promote multidisciplinary research efforts to improve understanding of the animal to human transmission of leptospirosis on the

Leptospirosis on captive wild animals in Latin America.

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Vieira, Anahi S; Lilenbaum, Walter

2017-12-01

Leptospirosis is a worldwide bacterial infection, being more prevalent in tropical regions. Human beings, domestic animals and wildlife species are susceptible to a wide variety of serovars. Zoos have a great importance in keeping endangered species, increasing populations and accumulating knowledge on these species. Although some studies describe the occurrence of leptospirosis in captivity animals, a systematic review regarding the infection in these animals in tropical areas has never been conducted. Thus, the objective of this study was to systematically gather and analyze data regarding leptospirosis among captive wild animals in Latin America. A total of 141 species were studied, 93 genus, 44 families and 15 orders from three classes. Median seroprevalence ranged from 0 to 52% and predominant serogroups were Canicola and Icterohaemorrhagiae for mammalian, and Sejroe for reptiles. One important outcome is that, when kept on zoos, wildlife is more frequently infected by incidental strains instead of adapted strains. Preventive measures should consider periodic serosurvey of all animal species in captivity, as well as the use of commercial vaccines to reduce leptospiral infection and its hazards. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DECIPHERING LEPTOSPIROSIS-A DIAGNOSTIC MYSTERY: AN INSIGHT

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Mohit Bhatia, B L Umapathy

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is an emerging infectious disease which has been recognized as the most common zoonotic infection in the world. It affects human beings and many other species of vertebrates .Most commonly, the infection is acquired by direct or indirect exposure to urine of reservoir animals through contaminated soil, mud & water entering via small abrasions or breaches in the skin & mucous membranes during occupational, recreational or vocational activities. The signs & symptoms resemble a wide range of bacterial & viral diseases & sometimes can present as food poisoning, chemical poisoning & snake bite also due to which the diagnosis is often missed. This review article aims to focus on the role of Dark Field Microscopy (DFM, culture, Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA, Macroscopic Slide Agglutination test (MSAT, Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT and Faine’s criteria in the diagnosis of leptospirosis.

Global Burden of Leptospirosis: Estimated in Terms of Disability Adjusted Life Years.

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Paul R Torgerson

Full Text Available Leptospirosis, a spirochaetal zoonosis, occurs in diverse epidemiological settings and affects vulnerable populations, such as rural subsistence farmers and urban slum dwellers. Although leptospirosis can cause life-threatening disease, there is no global burden of disease estimate in terms of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs available.We utilised the results of a parallel publication that reported global estimates of morbidity and mortality due to leptospirosis. We estimated Years of Life Lost (YLLs from age and gender stratified mortality rates. Years of Life with Disability (YLDs were developed from a simple disease model indicating likely sequelae. DALYs were estimated from the sum of YLLs and YLDs. The study suggested that globally approximately 2.90 million DALYs are lost per annum (UIs 1.25-4.54 million from the approximately annual 1.03 million cases reported previously. Males are predominantly affected with an estimated 2.33 million DALYs (UIs 0.98-3.69 or approximately 80% of the total burden. For comparison, this is over 70% of the global burden of cholera estimated by GBD 2010. Tropical regions of South and South-east Asia, Western Pacific, Central and South America, and Africa had the highest estimated leptospirosis disease burden.Leptospirosis imparts a significant health burden worldwide, which approach or exceed those encountered for a number of other zoonotic and neglected tropical diseases. The study findings indicate that highest burden estimates occur in resource-poor tropical countries, which include regions of Africa where the burden of leptospirosis has been under-appreciated and possibly misallocated to other febrile illnesses such as malaria.

Unusual clinical manifestations of leptospirosis

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Bal A

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis has protean clinical manifestations. The classical presentation of the disease is an acute biphasic febrile illness with or without jaundice. Unusual clinical manifestations may result from involvement of pulmonary, cardiovascular, neural, gastrointestinal, ocular and other systems. Immunological phenomena secondary to antigenic mimicry may also be an important component of many clinical features and may be responsible for reactive arthritis. Leptospirosis in early pregnancy may lead to fetal loss. There are a few reports of leptospirosis in HIV- infected individuals but no generalisation can be made due to paucity of data. It is important to bear in mind that leptospiral illness may be a significant component in cases of dual infections or in simultaneous infections with more than two pathogens.

Accuracy of loop-mediated isothermal amplification for diagnosis of human leptospirosis in Thailand.

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Sonthayanon, Piengchan; Chierakul, Wirongrong; Wuthiekanun, Vanaporn; Thaipadungpanit, Janjira; Kalambaheti, Thareerat; Boonsilp, Siriphan; Amornchai, Premjit; Smythe, Lee D; Limmathurotsakul, Direk; Day, Nicholas P; Peacock, Sharon J

2011-04-01

There is a lack of diagnostic tests for leptospirosis in technology-restricted settings. We developed loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) specific for the 16S ribosomal RNA gene (rrs) of pathogenic and intermediate group Leptospira species. The lower limit of detection was 10 genomic equivalents/reaction, and analytical specificity was high; we observed positive reactions for pathogenic/intermediate groups and negative reactions for non-pathogenic Leptospira species and other bacterial species. We evaluated this assay in Thailand by using a case-control study of 133 patients with laboratory-proven leptospirosis and 133 patients with other febrile illnesses. Using admission blood, we found that the rrs LAMP showed positive results in 58 of 133 cases (diagnostic sensitivity = 43.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 35.0-52.5) and in 22 of 133 controls (diagnostic specificity = 83.5, 95% CI = 76.0-89.3). Sensitivity was high for 39 patients who were culture positive for Leptospira spp. (84.6, 95% CI = 69.5-94.1). The rrs LAMP can provide an admission diagnosis in approximately half of patients with leptospirosis, but its clinical utility is reduced by a lower specificity.

Faktor Risiko Kejadian Luar Biasa (KLB Leptospirosis Paska Banjir di Kabupaten Pati Tahun 2014

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Nova Pramestuti

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is a disease caused by Leptospira which transmitted by reservoir. Flood can increase risk of the transmission. There had been flood in Pati District in January 2014 and then outbreaks occured afterwards. The objective of this study was to identify risk factors for leptospirosis outbreaks after flood in Pati district 2014. The research was conducted in Pati in March 2014, with cross sectional design. Data were collected by interviews of 35 persons using a structured questionnaire. The results showed that cases of leptospirosis mostly in flood areas (75.7%, dominant in male sex (74.4% and 15-44 years age group (41.9%. The most significant risk factor were contact with water/irrigation canal in rice fields (RP = 4.81 and cuts and abrasions in the skin (RP = 4.57. Another risk factor were cleaning drains/sewers which stagnant, contact with stagnant water around the house/ floodwater, contact with rats, and job at risk such as farmers, cattleman, fishermen, fishpond workers, looking for stone in river. The risk factors were important epidemiological in transmission of leptospirosis outbreaks which associated with flood in Pati District.Key words: risk factor, outbreak, leptospirosis, flood

Incidence of Leptospirosis infection in the East Zone of Sao Paulo City, Brazil

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2013-01-01

Background Leptospirosis is a zoonosis which is spread through contamined running water. This contaminations is seriously affected by the flooding which occurs in the area surrounding the Aricanduva river. The transmission of the disease results mainly from the contact of water with soil contaminated by the urine of infected animals. We aimed to conduct an epidemiological survey on Leptospirosis cases in Sao Paulo East Zone area. Method The analysis conducted in this study was based on data collected from the health authorities of that region close the Aricanduva river between 2007 and 2008 years, which give the rates of confirmed cases, mortality and death from human Leptospirosis. Other information concerned with the relationships among rainfall index, points of flooding and incidence of Leptospirosis. Results We observed a direct and important water contamination. Records of flooding points and dates of the reported cases in the region showed a direct relationship from which the period of higher rainfall also recorded an increase in cases. The annual record of the city and the region and rainfall regions also presented correlation. Conclusion The association between the indices of flooding and Leptospirosis cases indicates that preventive measures are necessary to avoid exposing the community. PMID:23672682

Faktor Risiko Lingkungan Kejadian Leptospirosis di Jawa Tengah (Studi Kasus di Kota Semarang, Kabupaten Demak dan Pati

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Riyaningsih Riyaningsih

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Background : Leptospirosis is zoonotic disease caused by Leptospira bacteria and transmitted to human through contact with animal urine and contaminated environment.The number of cases increased since 2005, particulary Semarang, Demak, and Pati regency. The purpose of this study is to analyze environmental risk factors related to leptospirosis incidence in Central Java. Method : This research was an explanatory research with  observational method using  case control design. The subjects were 60 cases and 60 controls recruted with  inclusion criteria. Diagnosis  of control was based on  clinical diagnosis and examination of blood sample with  Leptotek Lateral Flow. The data was analyzed in univariate, bivariate and multivariate tests using logistic regression. Result : The results of this research found that  physical environmental factors that influenced the incidence of leptospirosis were stagnant water of the ditch (OR = 3.5; 95% CI: 1,282-9,301; p = 0.014 and habit of taking bath  or washing in the river (OR = 7.5; 95% CI: 1.534- 36.185; p = 0.014. Recomendation: It was sugested for Health Departement to control the risk factors of physical environment by cooperating with relevant agencies, especially PROKASIH (Clean River Program. People need to keep cleaning the house and the neighborhood, especially the existence of  pools of water around the house and do not get a shower and take out the trash / dead mouse in a river. Keywords : Leptospirosis, Environment, Risk Factors

Leptospirosis following a major flood in Central Queensland, Australia.

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Smith, J K G; Young, M M; Wilson, K L; Craig, S B

2013-03-01

Throughout December 2010 and January 2011, Queensland experienced widespread flooding due to unusually protracted and heavy rainfalls. In mid-January 2011, four individuals from a small community in Central Queensland were hospitalized with leptospirosis. A further five cases were subsequently identified from around Central Queensland, bringing the total to nine. Microscopic agglutination testing found that serovar Arborea (Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Arborea) was presumptively responsible for leptospirosis in seven of nine confirmed cases. Serovars Hardjo and Australis were identified in samples from two remaining cases. All cases had exposure to flood water. No single exposure source was identified. This is the first reported outbreak of leptospirosis in Central Queensland and the first report of leptospirosis cases associated with flood water inundation in Queensland. Public health authorities should continue to promote awareness of leptospirosis in flood-affected populations. Healthcare providers must maintain a high level of suspicion for leptospirosis during and after flood events.

A Reevaluation of the Effectiveness of Homoeoprophylaxis Against Leptospirosis in Cuba in 2007 and 2008.

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Golden, Isaac; Bracho, Gustavo

2014-07-01

In 2007 and 2008, Cuban health officials conducted large homoeoprophylaxis interventions against rising rates of leptospirosis caused by extensive hurricane damage. Published results showed that the interventions were highly successful, but some questions regarding possible confounders were raised. The objective of this research was to assess the influence of potential confounders on initial results. Weekly leptospirosis reporting data entries for 9 years were checked to ensure data consistency. Some errors in weekly reports for 2000-2008 were discovered, and corrected, and the changes incorporated in this analysis. The corrected data was reanalyzed to investigate the impact of potential confounders. New analyses of the timing and extent of vaccination and chemoprophylaxis in 2007 and 2008 and changes in leptospirosis notifications were presented. The results support the previous conclusions that homoeoprophylaxis can be used to effectively immunize people against targeted infectious diseases such as leptospirosis. © The Author(s) 2014.

Serological Prevalence of Leptospirosis Among Rural Communities in the Rejang Basin, Sarawak, Malaysia.

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Suut, Lela; Mazlan, Mohamad Nur-Azim; Arif, Mohamad Taha; Yusoff, Haironi; Abdul Rahim, Nor-Aliza; Safii, Razitasham; Suhaili, Mohamad Raili

2016-07-01

Leptospirosis is an important zoonotic disease globally and is endemic in Malaysia. A study was conducted in the Rejang basin of Sarawak from June 2011 to May 2013 to determine the seroprevalence of leptospirosis among the communities and dominant infecting Leptospira serovars. A total of 508 human sera were analyzed using ELISA and the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). The seroprevalence of leptospirosis in the study area was 37.4%, with the highest prevalence in Kapit division. More women were positive for leptospirosis (59.5%), and the mean age of seropositive individuals was 42.2 (SD = 18.7) years. Antibody titers between 1:50 and 1:1600 were reported, and serovars djasiman (22.1%), shermani (13.2%), and pomona (7.9%) predominated, with varied distribution between geographical locations. This study highlighted the endemicity and diversity of existing Leptospira serovars within the community. This information should be communicated to local health personnel and communities at risk, and rapid diagnostic capability should be made available to local health facilities. © 2016 APJPH.

Influence of Topographic and Hydrographic Factors on the Spatial Distribution of Leptospirosis Disease in São Paulo County, Brazil: An Approach Using Geospatial Techniques and GIS Analysis

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Ferreira, M. C.; Ferreira, M. F. M.

2016-06-01

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis caused by Leptospira genus bacteria. Rodents, especially Rattus norvegicus, are the most frequent hosts of this microorganism in the cities. The human transmission occurs by contact with urine, blood or tissues of the rodent and contacting water or mud contaminated by rodent urine. Spatial patterns of concentration of leptospirosis are related to the multiple environmental and socioeconomic factors, like housing near flooding areas, domestic garbage disposal sites and high-density of peoples living in slums located near river channels. We used geospatial techniques and geographical information system (GIS) to analysing spatial relationship between the distribution of leptospirosis cases and distance from rivers, river density in the census sector and terrain slope factors, in Sao Paulo County, Brazil. To test this methodology we used a sample of 183 geocoded leptospirosis cases confirmed in 2007, ASTER GDEM2 data, hydrography and census sectors shapefiles. Our results showed that GIS and geospatial analysis techniques improved the mapping of the disease and permitted identify the spatial pattern of association between location of cases and spatial distribution of the environmental variables analyzed. This study showed also that leptospirosis cases might be more related to the census sectors located on higher river density areas and households situated at shorter distances from rivers. In the other hand, it was not possible to assert that slope terrain contributes significantly to the location of leptospirosis cases.

ANALYSIS OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS FOR LEPTOSPIROSIS CASES IN TULUNGAGUNG DISTRICT

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Arief Nugroho

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis merupakan penyakit zoonosis. Pada tahun 2012 ditetapkan Kejadian Luar Biasa (KLB dengan ditemukannya dua kasus leptospirosis di dua kecamatan dengan satu kasus meninggal. Tujuan penelitian untuk menganalisis hubungan faktor lingkungan terhadap kejadian leptospirosis di Kabupaten Tulungagung. Rancangan penelitian yaitu cross sectional dilakukan melalui observasi lokasi, pengukuran lingkungan abiotik dan observasi kondisi rumah penduduk. Lokasi penelitian di Dusun Banjar, Desa Picisan RT 3 RW 1 Kecamatan Sendang, Kabupaten Tulungagung. Besar sampel sebanyak 50 rumah. Analisis data berupa analisis deskriptif dan statistik dengan uji Chi square. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa adanya sampah terbuka di depan atau belakang rumah berhubungan dengan kejadian leptospirosis dan mempunyai resiko 16,3 kali lebih besar dalam penyebaran leptospirosis. pH, salinitas dan kelembaban udara menunjang pertumbuhan bakteri Leptospira sp. pada badan air alami. Kata kunci: leptospirosis, Tulungagung, lingkungan

FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG BERHUBUNGAN DENGAN PERILAKU PENCEGAHAN PENYAKIT LEPTOSPIROSIS (STUDI KASUS DI KELURAHAN TANDANG KECAMATAN TEMBALANG KOTA SEMARANG

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Ayu Nur Illahi

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis merupakan salah satu penyakit infeksi yang berbahaya yang disebabkan oleh bakteri leptospira. Pelaksanaan pencegahan penyakit leptospirosis masih mengalami hambatan. Penelitian ini adalah  explanatory research dengan  rancangan cross sectional. Sampel berjumlah 80 dengan responden ibu rumah tangga. Analisis data dilakukan secara univariat dan bivariat. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian didapatkan bahwa variabel yang berhubungan dengan perilaku pencegahan penyakit leptospirosis adalah pengetahuan  (p value=0,023, umur (p value=0,005, pendidikan (p value=0,000, pendapatan keluarga (p value=0,014, sumber informasi (p value=0,001, dan dukungan keluarga (p value=0,017. Variabel yang tidak berhubungan dengan perilaku pencegahan penyakit leptospirosis adalah sikap, pekerjaan, akses pelayanan kesehatan, dan pengalaman. Leptospirosis is an emerging infectious diseases caused by Leptospira bacteria. Implementation for  prevention behavior of Leptospirosis diseases is barrier. This research was an explanatory research with cross sectional design. Samples numbered 80 and the respondents were housewife. Data analysis was performed by univariate and bivariate. Based on the results of this study found that variables related with prevention behavior Leptospirosis diseases were knowledge (p value= 0.023, age (p value= 0.005, education (p value= 0.000, family income (p value= 0.014, information resources (p value= 0.001, and family support (p value= 0.017. Variables that were not related with prevention behavior Leptospirosis diseases were attitude, occupation, health service access, and experience.

Accuracy of a dual path platform (DPP assay for the rapid point-of-care diagnosis of human leptospirosis.

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Scott A Nabity

Full Text Available Diagnosis of leptospirosis by the gold standard serologic assay, the microscopic agglutination test (MAT, requires paired sera and is not widely available. We developed a rapid assay using immunodominant Leptospira immunoglobulin-like (Lig proteins in a Dual Path Platform (DPP. This study aimed to evaluate the assay's diagnostic performance in the setting of urban transmission.We determined test sensitivity using 446 acute and convalescent sera from MAT-confirmed case-patients with severe or mild leptospirosis in Brazil. We assessed test specificity using 677 sera from the following groups: healthy residents of a Brazilian slum with endemic transmission, febrile outpatients from the same slum, healthy blood donors, and patients with dengue, hepatitis A, and syphilis. Three operators independently interpreted visual results without knowing specimen status.The overall sensitivity for paired sera was 100% and 73% for severe and mild disease, respectively. In the acute phase, the assay achieved a sensitivity of 85% and 64% for severe and mild leptospirosis, respectively. Within seven days of illness onset, the assay achieved a sensitivity of 77% for severe disease and 60% for mild leptospirosis. Sensitivity of the DPP assay was similar to that for IgM-ELISA and increased with both duration of symptoms (chi-square regression P = 0.002 and agglutinating titer (Spearman ρ = 0.24, P<0.001. Specificity was ≥93% for dengue, hepatitis A, syphilis, febrile outpatients, and blood donors, while it was 86% for healthy slum residents. Inter-operator agreement ranged from very good to excellent (kappa: 0.82-0.94 and test-to-test reproducibility was also high (kappa: 0.89.The DPP assay performed acceptably well for diagnosis of severe acute clinical leptospirosis and can be easily implemented in hospitals and health posts where leptospirosis is a major public health problem. However, test accuracy may need improvement for mild disease and early stage

Pancreatitis and myocarditis followed by pulmonary hemorrhage, a rare presentation of leptospirosis- A case report and literature survey

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Ranawaka Nuwan

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Leptospirosis is a potentially fatal disease which can cause multi-organ dysfunction. It can rarely present as acute pancreatitis. This is the first ever report of leptospirosis presenting with acute pancreatitis and myocarditis followed by diffuse pulmonary hemorrhages to the best of our knowledge. Case presentation A 15-year-old South Asian boy presented with high grade fever, epigastric discomfort and was anicteric on admission. He developed tachycardia, transient hypotension, changes of electro-cardiogram and positive troponin I suggestive of myocarditis. Acute pancreatitis was diagnosed with 12 fold high serum amylase and with the evidence of computerized tomography. Then he developed diffuse pulmonary hemorrhages and later acute renal failure. Leptospirosis was confirmed by positive leptospira IgM, negative IgG and strongly positive Microscopic Agglutination Test. Other possible infective and autoimmune causes were excluded. Patient recovered completely with antibiotics and the supportive care. Conclusion This case illustrates diagnostic difficulties especially in resource poor settings where leptospirosis is common. Additionally it highlights the fact that leptospirosis should be considered in patients presenting with pancreatitis which can be complicated with myocarditis and diffuse pulmonary hemorrhages. We hypothesize that Toll like receptors may play a role in such systemic involvement.

Human leptospirosis: seroreactivity and genetic susceptibility in the population of São Miguel Island (Azores, Portugal.

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Lisa M Esteves

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonotic and recognized neglected infectious disease. It has been observed that only a proportion of individuals exposed to pathogenic species of Leptospira become infected and develop clinically evident disease. Moreover, little information is available in subsequent reinfections. In the present study, we determine if a first infection with leptospirosis protects against subsequent reinfection, and investigate which of the host genetic factors are involved in the susceptibility and resistance to leptospirosis.We conducted, in 2011, a retrospective hospital-based case-control study in the São Miguel Island population (Azores archipelago. In order to determine the seropositivity against pathogenic Leptospira after the first episode of leptospirosis, we performed a serological evaluation in 97 unrelated participants diagnosed with leptospirosis between 1992 and 2011. The results revealed that 46.4% of the 97 participants have circulating anti-Leptospira antibodies, and from these participants 35.6% maintained the seroprevalence for the same serogroup. Moreover, three of them were reinfected with unrelated Leptospira serovars. The genetic study was carried out by adding a control group composed of 470 unrelated healthy blood donors, also from São Miguel Island. Twenty five SNPs among twelve innate immune genes - IL1α, IL1β, IL6, IL10, IL12RB1, TLR2, TLR4, TLR9, CD14, CISH, LTA and TNF - were genotyped, as well as HLA class I (-A and -B genes. Association analysis indicates that genotypes -511GG (OR=1.6, 95%CI 1.01-2.56, p=0.04 in IL1β, +1196CG (OR=2.0, 95%CI 1.26-3.27, p=0.003 in IL12RB1, -292TA (OR=1.8, 95% CI 1.06-2.1, p=0.03 and +3415CG (OR=1.8, 95% CI 1.08-3.08, p=0.02, both in CISH confer susceptibility to pathogenic Leptospira.The present study suggests some degree of long-term protection against leptospires with an attenuation of symptoms in case of reinfection. Moreover, our data supports the genetic

Leptospirosis and Extensive Urbanization in West Africa: A Neglected and Underestimated Threat?

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Gauthier Dobigny

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis affects 1 million and kills 60,000 people annually, but it remains poorly documented in Africa. We aim to describe the large West African Conurbation Corridor where the omnipresence of slums, water and close animal/human interactions may result in high leptospiral risk. Though scarce, data from this region point towards the wide circulation of pathogenic leptospires in the urban environment as well as in humans. However, because of the absence of reliable surveillance systems together with lack of awareness, the absence of reference laboratory and/or a high number of infected people showing only mild manifestations, it is likely that the burden is much higher. We believe raising awareness of leptospirosis may have a positive impact on many vulnerable African city dwellers, as the disease is a preventable and treatable.

Leptospirosis; AND#8220;Fever Aftermath of DelugeAND#8221;

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Ahmet Karakas

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Flooding provides an opportunity for epidemics of waterborne viral, protozoan, or bacterial diseases to develop in affected areas. May be, the only epidemic-prone infection which can be transmitted directly from contaminated water is leptospirosis, a zoonotic bacterial disease. Leptospirosis is commonly founded in bodies of water, moist soil, or vegetation contaminated by the urine or tissues of infected animals. Outbreaks of leptospirosis have occurred many times following flood events in different part of the world especially in India, Latin America and South-East Asia. Leptospirosis should be kept in mind of health workers and local administrators in every where even also developed regios and countries especially during the water associated nature events. Many of the leptospirosis symptoms can be mistaken for other epidemic prone diseases. So, spesific laboratuary methods are needed for accurate diagnosis. Both of medical facilities and medical personnels might be affected by natural disasters. Beyond of these, reason of a lot of leptospirosis cases and other water based contagious diseases, running of the complicated and time consuming or expensive tests could be impossible. So, preferring of the rapid tests like slide agglutination test or urine dipstick tests for leptospirosis diagnosis could be reasonable. Concisely, due to Leptospirosis is a water-borne disease and can often be overlooked, it should be kept in mind especially for patients presenting with fever and multi-organ involvement just after natural disasters like tsunami, land sliding, flooding, sudden or heavy reains. This fact is extremely important nowadays and in the future, because of ingreasingly aggravated global climatic change. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2010; 9(6.000: 651-654

Increasing Incidence of Canine Leptospirosis in Switzerland

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Andrea Major

2014-07-01

Full Text Available A marked increase in canine leptospirosis was observed in Switzerland over 10 years with a peak incidence of 28.1 diagnosed cases/100,000 dogs/year in the most affected canton. With 95% affected dogs living at altitudes <800 m, the disease presented a seasonal pattern associated with temperature (r2 0.73 and rainfall (r2 0.39, >90% cases being diagnosed between May and October. The increasing yearly incidence however was only weakly correlated with climatic data including number of summer (r2 0.25 or rainy days (r2 0.38. Serovars Australis and Bratislava showed the highest seropositivity rates with 70.5% and 69.1%, respectively. Main clinical manifestations included renal (99.6%, pulmonary (76.7%, hepatic (26.0%, and hemorrhagic syndromes (18.2%, leading to a high mortality rate (43.3%. Similar to the human disease, liver involvement had the strongest association with negative outcome (OR 16.3. Based on these data, canine leptospirosis presents similar features and severity as the human infection for which it therefore can be considered a model. Its re-emergence in a temperate country with very high incidence rates in canines should thus be viewed as a warning and emphasize the need for increased awareness in other species.

Deteksi Leptospira Patogen Pada Tersangka Penderita Leptospirosis Di Kabupaten Ponorogo

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Dyah Widiastuti

2017-02-01

Full Text Available AbstractUp to March 2012, there were increasing leptospirosis cases in Ponorogo. A total of 11 cases of leptospirosis were reported by the Ponorogo District Health Center. This study aims to detect pathogenic Leptospira bacteria using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR in suspected leptospirosis in Ponorogo. Collection of blood samples carried out by the local health care medical personnel (doctor, midwife or nurse was accompanied by a team of researchers. Subjects were people with fever (temperature >380C or fever accompanied by headache, muscle aches, and rash conjunctivitis. Blood and urine samples were taken purposively. Active case detection was also conducted in communities around the previous patients who had a history of infection risk and relationship of leptospirosis. Further blood samples examined by two different methods, Lepto Tek Lateral Flow and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR. Ninety blood and urine samples was collected. Four samples were positive for pathogenic Leptospira DNA consisted of two samples of blood (whole blood and two samples of urine. PCR-positive samples in the blood has negative results of Lepto Tek examination. While the PCR-positive samples in the urine, Lepto Tek was positive. Lepto tek showed lower sensitivity in early detection of leptospirosis. Examination of blood and urine samples using PCR can support the early discovery of leptospirosis cases.Keywords: Leptospirosis, Ponorogo, PCRAbstrakSampai dengan bulan Maret 2012 terjadi peningkatan kasus leptospirosis di Ponorogo. Sebanyak 11 kasus leptospirosis dilaporkan oleh Dinas Kesehatan Kabupaten Ponorogo. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeteksi bakteri Leptospira patogen menggunakan teknik Polimerase Chain Reaction (PCR pada tersangka penderita leptospirosis di Kabupaten Ponorogo. Pengumpulan sampel darah dilakukan oleh tenaga medis Puskesmas setempat (dokter, bidan atau perawat didampingi oleh tim peneliti terhadap penduduk yang mengalami demam (suhu badan

Human Leptospirosis Infection in Fiji: An Eco-epidemiological Approach to Identifying Risk Factors and Environmental Drivers for Transmission.

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Lau, Colleen L; Watson, Conall H; Lowry, John H; David, Michael C; Craig, Scott B; Wynwood, Sarah J; Kama, Mike; Nilles, Eric J

2016-01-01

Leptospirosis is an important zoonotic disease in the Pacific Islands. In Fiji, two successive cyclones and severe flooding in 2012 resulted in outbreaks with 576 reported cases and 7% case-fatality. We conducted a cross-sectional seroprevalence study and used an eco-epidemiological approach to characterize risk factors and drivers for human leptospirosis infection in Fiji, and aimed to provide an evidence base for improving the effectiveness of public health mitigation and intervention strategies. Antibodies indicative of previous or recent infection were found in 19.4% of 2152 participants (81 communities on the 3 main islands). Questionnaires and geographic information systems data were used to assess variables related to demographics, individual behaviour, contact with animals, socioeconomics, living conditions, land use, and the natural environment. On multivariable logistic regression analysis, variables associated with the presence of Leptospira antibodies included male gender (OR 1.55), iTaukei ethnicity (OR 3.51), living in villages (OR 1.64), lack of treated water at home (OR 1.52), working outdoors (1.64), living in rural areas (OR 1.43), high poverty rate (OR 1.74), living Fiji are complex and multifactorial, with environmental factors playing crucial roles. With global climate change, severe weather events and flooding are expected to intensify in the South Pacific. Population growth could also lead to more intensive livestock farming; and urbanization in developing countries is often associated with urban and peri-urban slums where diseases of poverty proliferate. Climate change, flooding, population growth, urbanization, poverty and agricultural intensification are important drivers of zoonotic disease transmission; these factors may independently, or potentially synergistically, lead to enhanced leptospirosis transmission in Fiji and other similar settings.

Hubungan Kebersihan Pribadi dan Riwayat Luka dengan Kejadian Leptospirosis

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Cahyati, Widya Hary; Lestari, Feriyanti

2009-01-01

There were 65 cases of  leptospirosis with four deaths in Sunan Kalijaga Hospital during January to April, 2008.The research aims to determine the relationship bet-ween personal hygiene and a history of injury with the incidence of leptospirosis. The research design was observational analytic with case control approach. Their population are the case of public hospital inpatients who suffer leptospirosis and control populations hospital inpatients who do not. The 45 samples consist of 15 samp...

EVALUASI PELAKSANAAN SURVEILANS KASUS LEPTOSPIROSIS DI DINAS KESEHATAN KABUPATEN BOYOLALI

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Lintang Dian Saraswati

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Kabupaten Boyolali merupakan salah satu kabupaten di Indonesia yang telah terjadi peningkatan kasus Leptospirosis selama 4 tahun terakhir. Salah satu upaya untuk mengatasinya adalah dengan melakukan surveilans epidemiologi. Tujuan penelitian ini yaitu untuk mengevaluasi pelaksanaan dan hasil surveilans kasus leptospirosis di Kabupaten Boyolali. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian deskriptif dengan desain penelitian observasional. Sampel penelitian berjumlah 12 tenaga surveilans puskesmas dan 2 orang tenaga surveilans di Dinas Kesehatan Kabupaten Boyolali yang dipilih dengan metode purposive sampling dan dilakukan wawancara, telaah data sekunder, dan observasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kasus leptospirosis di Kabupaten Boyolali tahun 2012-2015 paling banyak terjadi pada kelompok umur 26-45 tahun (38,3%, berjenis kelamin laki-laki (70%, dan pekerjaan sebagai petani (44,7%. Kasus paling banyak terjadi pada bulan Maret tahun 2014 dan 2015 dengan angka insiden kumulatif sebesar 0,6. Sebagian besar kasus leptospirosis terjadi di Kecamatan Nogosari (34%. Pelaksanaan surveilans epidemiologi leptospirosis di Kabupaten Boyolali belum berjalan dengan baik, pengumpulan data sudah dilakukan oleh semua responden, kompilasi data hanya dilakukan di 3 dari 12 puskesmas dan di dinas kesehatan, analisis data hanya dilakukan di dinas kesehatan berupa analisis sederhana kecenderungan leptospirosis, dan sudah dilakukan diseminasi informasi dalam bentuk pelaporan dan umpan balik. Boyolali is one of the regency in Indonesia that has been an increase of Leptospirosis cases for the last 4 years. One effort to overcome this problem is conduct epidemiological surveillance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the implementation and results of leptospirosis case surveillance in Boyolali. This research was descriptive study with observational research design. Samples of this research were 12 puskesmas surveillance officers and 2 health office surveillance

Determining risk for severe leptospirosis by molecular analysis of environmental surface waters for pathogenic Leptospira.

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Christian A Ganoza

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Although previous data indicate that the overall incidence of human leptospirosis in the Peruvian Amazon is similar in urban and rural sites, severe leptospirosis has been observed only in the urban context. As a potential explanation for this epidemiological observation, we tested the hypothesis that concentrations of more virulent Leptospira would be higher in urban than in rural environmental surface waters.A quantitative real-time PCR assay was used to compare levels of Leptospira in urban and rural environmental surface waters in sites in the Peruvian Amazon region of Iquitos. Molecular taxonomic analysis of a 1,200-bp segment of the leptospiral 16S ribosomal RNA gene was used to identify Leptospira to the species level. Pathogenic Leptospira species were found only in urban slum water sources (Fisher's exact test; p = 0.013. The concentration of pathogen-related Leptospira was higher in urban than rural water sources (approximately 10(3 leptospires/ml versus 0.5 x 10(2 leptospires/ml; F = 8.406, p < 0.05. Identical 16S rRNA gene sequences from Leptospira interrogans serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae were found in urban slum market area gutter water and in human isolates, suggesting a specific mode of transmission from rats to humans. In a prospective, population-based study of patients presenting with acute febrile illness, isolation of L. interrogans-related leptospires from humans was significantly associated with urban acquisition (75% of urban isolates; human isolates of other leptospiral species were associated with rural acquisition (78% of rural isolates (chi-square analysis; p < 0.01. This distribution of human leptospiral isolates mirrored the distribution of leptospiral 16S ribosomal gene sequences in urban and rural water sources.Our findings data support the hypothesis that urban severe leptospirosis in the Peruvian Amazon is associated with higher concentrations of more pathogenic leptospires at sites of exposure and transmission

An outbreak of leptospirosis among Peruvian military recruits.

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Russell, Kevin L; Montiel Gonzalez, Marco A; Watts, Douglas M; Lagos-Figueroa, Roberto C; Chauca, Gloria; Ore, Marianela; Gonzalez, Jose E; Moron, Cecilia; Tesh, Robert B; Vinetz, Joseph M

2003-07-01

Acute undifferentiated febrile illnesses are common in tropical developing countries but are difficult to diagnose on clinical grounds alone. Leptospirosis is rarely diagnosed, despite evidence that sporadic cases and epidemics continue to occur worldwide. The purpose of this study was to diagnose an outbreak of acute undifferentiated febrile illness among Peruvian military recruits that developed after a training exercise in the high jungle rainforest of Peru. Of 193 military recruits, 78 developed an acute febrile illness with varied manifestations. Of these, 72 were found to have acute leptospirosis by a microscopic agglutination test (MAT). An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using Leptospira biflexa antigen was insensitive for the detection of anti-leptospiral IgM antibodies compared with the MAT (20 of 72, 28%). This outbreak of acute undifferentiated febrile illness among Peruvian military recruits was due to leptospirosis. High clinical suspicion, initiation of preventative measures, and performance of appropriate diagnostic testing is warranted in similar settings to identify, treat, and prevent leptospirosis.

Evaluation of the clinical utility of a rapid blood test for human leptospirosis

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Eapen, C. K.; Sugathan, Sheela; Kuriakose, Mariamma; Abdoel, Theresia; Smits, Henk L.

2002-01-01

A rapid assay device for the detection of Leptospira-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies was applied on whole blood samples collected from a group of consecutive patients admitted with clinical suspicion of leptospirosis to a district hospital in Kerala, India. The hospital is located in an

[Seroprevalence of leptospirosis in Puente Piedra, Lima, in 2006].

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Platts-Mills, James A; LaRochelle, Patrick; Campos, Kalina; Vinetz, Joseph M; Gotuzzo, Eduardo; Ricaldi, Jessica N

2011-06-01

Leptospirosis is a disease widely prevalent in tropical areas, but may also be present in urban areas. The present study aims to determine the seroprevalence of Leptospira in the district of Puente Piedra, where there have been cases of severe leptospirosis in recent years. We collected data related to risk factors associated with leptospirosis and blood samples from 250 participants, selected by random sampling. We found a high prevalence of risk factors in the population and using the microscopic agglutination test, antibodies were found in only 3 participants (1.2%).

Evidence for Wild Crocodiles as a Risk for Human Leptospirosis, Mexico.

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Pérez-Flores, Jonathan; Charruau, Pierre; Cedeño-Vázquez, Rogelio; Atilano, Daniel

2017-03-01

Sentinel species such as crocodilians are used to monitor the health of ecosystems. However, few studies have documented the presence of zoonotic diseases in wild populations of these reptiles. Herein we analyzed 48 serum samples from Crocodylus acutus (n = 34) and C. moreletii (n = 14) from different sites in the state of Quintana Roo (Mexico) to detect antibodies to Leptospira interrogans by means of a microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Crocodylus acutus and C. moreletii tested positive to 11 and 9 serovars, respectively, with Grippotyphosa being the serovar with the highest prevalence in Cozumel island (100%), Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve (70.6%), and Río Hondo (100%), while in Chichankanab Lake, it was Bratislava (75%). Titers ranged from 1:50 to 1:3200, and the most frequent was 1:50 in all study sites. Leptospira is present in fresh and saltwater individuals due to the resistance of the bacterium in both environments. Cases of infected people involved with crocodile handling and egg collection suggest that these reptiles could play an important role in the transmission of leptospirosis. Preventive medicine programs should consider the monitoring of reptiles, and testing the soil and water, to prevent outbreaks of leptospirosis in facilities containing crocodiles.

Leptospirosis in dogs and cats: epidemiology, clinical disease, zoonotic implications and prevention

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Azocar-Aedo, L.; Smits, H. L.; Monti, G.

2014-01-01

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of worldwide distribution caused by spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. The genus includes a large number of serovars that may be sheed in the urine of infected animals creating a highly infectious source of transmission. Numerous species of wild and domestic

Discovery of a leptospirosis cluster amidst a pneumonic plague outbreak in a miners' camp in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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Bertherat, Eric; Mueller, Melissa J; Shako, Jean-Christophe; Picardeau, Mathieu

2014-02-07

Conditions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo provide an ideal environment for leptospirosis and plague, both of which can cause severe pulmonary manifestations. In December 2004, an outbreak of lethal pneumonia occurred in a local mining camp, affecting 130 persons and killing 57 of them. Clinical signs, fast disease spread, and initial laboratory investigations suggested pneumonic plague. While leptospirosis had not recently been described in the region, it was considered as a differential diagnosis. Anti-Leptospira antibodies were detected by microscopic agglutination test (MAT). A confirmed case of leptospirosis was defined as having consistent clinical signs and any one of the following: seroconversion or four-fold increase in MAT titre for paired serum samples, or a MAT titre ≥ 1:400 for acute-phase serum samples. Twenty-nine of the 54 patients or convalescents tested for leptospirosis were seropositive. Two cases showed a confirmed infection for both plague and leptospirosis. While evidence supports the plague nature of this outbreak, the results suggest that some of the suspected plague cases might be due to leptospirosis. In any case, this diagnosis will have to be evoked in the future if a similar outbreak occurs in this region of Africa.

Anti-leptospirosis agglutinins in Brazilian capybaras (hydrochoerus hydrochaeris).

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Langoni, Helio; Kuribara, Ivone Yumi; Ferreira Lopes Correa, Ana Paula; Ullmann, Leila Sabrina; Sánchez, Gabriela Pacheco; Lucheis, Simone Baldini

2016-01-01

The interest in commercial use of wild animals is increasing, especially regarding raising of capybaras. Although this wild species is potentially lucrative for the production of meat, oil and leather, it is suggested as a probable reservoir of leptospires. Due to the economic importance of this species and the lack of studies concerning leptospirosis, the presence of anti-leptospirosis agglutinins was assayed in 55 serum samples of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) from commercial and experimental breeding flocks located in São Paulo state, Paraná state, and Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Samples were obtained through cephalic or femoral venipunction (5 to 10 mL). Microscopic agglutination test was used according to the Brazilian Health Ministry considering as cut-off titer of 100. Out of the 55 samples analyzed, 23 (41.82 %) tested positive. The most prevalent serovar was Icterohaemorrhagiae (56.52 %) in 13 samples, followed by Copenhageni in nine samples (39.13 %), Pomona in four samples (17.39 %), Djasiman and Castellonis in three samples each (13.04 %), Grippotyphosa, Hardjo, Canicola, and Cynopteri in two samples each (8.7 %), and Andamana and Bratislava in one sample each (4.34 %). These results suggest the evidence of exposure to Leptospira spp. and the need of new studies to evaluate a higher number of capybaras from different regions to better understand the importance of leptospirosis infection in these animals and verify the zoonotic role of this species as a possible source of infection to humans and other animals.

Leptospirosis in Cattle From Markets of Almaty Province, Kazakhstan

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Kirkimbayeva Zhumagul

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This paper is the first study of the prevalence of leptospirosis in the cattle at slaughter from a rural area of Kazakhstan. Five hundred and seventy three samples of serum, urine, and kidneys from cattle of Alatau, Kazakh white and Auliyekol breed, aged from 2 to 5 years (unknown vaccination status, from the province of Almaty in the South-Eastern region were collected during four years (March 2010 to October 2013. The serological, bacteriological, and molecular analyses were performed. Serum samples were tested with 14 reference Leptospira serovars by microscopic agglutination test (MAT. MAT results showed that 89 (15.53% serum samples had detectable antibodies against seven serovars of L. interrogans at a dilution of ≥1:100. Serovars: Pomona (38.2%, Tarassovi (27.2%, and Kabula (18.8% were the most prevalent and their titres ranged from 100 to 1200. The spirochetes were detected in 11 samples of urine and nine samples of kidneys under dark-field microscope observation. The pure cultures were obtained from three samples. PCR technique confirmed leptospirosis in 23 out of 89 urine samples from cows, which showed the presence of leptospiral antibodies in microagglutination test. The high disease prevalence in cows indicates the high Leptospira contamination in this area. It was concluded that the bovine leptospirosis is an endemic and locally widespread disease in Kazakhstan, and that it may play a role in zoonotic transmission to humans.

Diagnostic accuracy of an in-house ELISA using the intermediate species Leptospira fainei as antigen for diagnosis of acute leptospirosis in dogs.

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Penna, Bruno; Marassi, Carla D; Libonati, Hugo; Narduche, Lorena; Lilenbaum, Walter; Bourhy, Pascale

2017-02-01

Diagnosis of animal leptospirosis is still challenging. The microscopic agglutination test, is the current method for diagnosing leptospirosis. However, this technique requires specific equipment, highly trained staff and the maintenance of live cultures of several reference strains of Leptospira for use as antigens. Recently, an ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) employing a Leptospira fainei serovar Hurstbridge based antigen for the early diagnostic of human leptospirosis was developed. In this study we estimate the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of this test in identifying acute canine leptospirosis. A total of 271 serum samples divided into five panels and tested by MAT as a reference test, were used to evaluate the ELISA. Comparing acutely and non-acutely infected dogs, ELISA-Hb showed 95.6% sensitivity and 93% specificity. L. fainei-based ELISA is adequate for diagnosing acute canine leptospirosis, with high sensitivity and specificity and presenting practical advantages when compared to current techniques. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Urine Levels of Defensin α1 Reflect Kidney Injury in Leptospirosis Patients

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Haorile Chagan-Yasutan

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease whose severe forms are often accompanied by kidney dysfunction. In the present study, urinary markers were studied for potential prediction of disease severity. Urine samples from 135 patients with or without leptospirosis at San Lazaro Hospital, the Philippines, were analyzed. Urine levels of defensin α1 (uDA1 were compared with those of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL and N-acetyl-β-d-glucosidase (uNAG. Serum creatinine (Cr was used as a marker of kidney injury. The levels of uDA1/Cr, uNGAL/Cr, and uNAG/Cr were positive in 46%, 90%, and 80% of leptospirosis patients, and 69%, 70%, and 70% of non-leptospirosis patients, respectively. In leptospirosis patients, the correlation of uDA1/Cr, uNGAL/Cr and uNAG/Cr levels with serum Cr were r = 0.3 (p < 0.01, r = 0.29 (p < 0.01, and r = 0.02 (p = 0.81, respectively. uDA1/Cr levels were correlated with uNGAL/Cr levels (r = 0.49, p < 0.01 and uNAG/Cr levels (r = 0.47, p < 0.0001 in leptospirosis patients. These findings suggest that uDA1, uNGAL, and uNAG were elevated in leptospirosis patients and reflected various types of kidney damage. uDA1 and uNGAL can be used to track kidney injury in leptospirosis patients because of their correlation with the serum Cr level.

KAJIAN EPIDEMIOLOGI KEJADIAN LEPTOSPIROSIS DI KOTA SEMARANG DAN KABUPATEN DEMAK TAHUN 2008

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Bambang Yuniarto

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is one of rodent borne neglected diseases, but health problem in day. Transmision of Leptospirosis occurs by contact with water or humid soil contaminated with urine from rodent infected with Leptospira. The aim of this research was to know epidemiology Leptospirosis in Semarang City and Demak District, in April-November 2008. The design of this research was cross sectional. The activity included Leptospirosis diagnosis with Rapid Diagostic Test (Leptotek Dri Dot and rat trappings. Data were analysed descriptively by using tables, graphics and maps. The result showed that in 2008, Leptospirosis incidence in the both areas was higher compared to the previous year. The Leptospirosis cases tended to increase in the rainy season. In Semarang City, Leptospirosis cases were mostly found in the age group of 0-19 years (44,1% and 51% of the total cases were female. In Demak District, the cases were mostly found in the age group of 40-49 years (25,7% and 75,7% from the total cases were male. The spesies rats found in this research were Rattus tanezumi, R.norvegicus, B.indica, Mus musculus, R.exculan and Suncus murinus. Kidney test of the rats caught in Semarang City showed Rattus tanezumi, R.norwegicus, B.indica, and R.exculan were infected with Leptospira sp.

Differences among children, adolescents and adults with severe leptospirosis: A comparative analysis

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E F Daher

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is a zoonosis of global importance caused by Leptospira interrogans. The aim of this study was to compare the data between children, adolescents and adults with leptospirosis. This is a retrospective study including a total of 373 consecutive patients with leptospirosis, admitted to tertiary hospitals in Northeast of Brazil, from May 1985 to August 2010. The patients were divided into two groups (age ≤21 years and >21 years. The adults were 304 (81.5% of the population, with a mean ge of 41 ± 13 (range 22-84 years. The pediatric group was 16 ± 3 (range 9-21 years. Signs and symptoms where similar between the groups, excepting arrhythmia, which was more frequent in adults and vomiting, more common in children (16% vs. 0%, P = 0.04 and 65% vs. 79%, P = 0.02, respectively. Adult group presented with higher serum urea (137 vs. 97 mg/dl, P = 0.002 and creatinine (4.3 vs. 3.0 mg/dl, P = 0.007. Acute kidney injury (AKI was observed in 80%, mainly in adults (83% vs. 70% P < 0.005. Adults required renal replacement therapy more frequently than children (38% vs. 11%, P < 0.0001. Mortality was higher in adults (14.8% vs. 2.8%, P = 0.005 and in adults with AKI (93% vs. 7%, P < 0.05. There are important differences between the adults and children with leptospirosis. AKI was more frequent in adults and it was associated with increased mortality.

Discovery of a Leptospirosis Cluster Amidst a Pneumonic Plague Outbreak in a Miners’ Camp in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Science.gov (United States)

Bertherat, Eric; Mueller, Melissa J.; Shako, Jean-Christophe; Picardeau, Mathieu

2014-01-01

Conditions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo provide an ideal environment for leptospirosis and plague, both of which can cause severe pulmonary manifestations. In December 2004, an outbreak of lethal pneumonia occurred in a local mining camp, affecting 130 persons and killing 57 of them. Clinical signs, fast disease spread, and initial laboratory investigations suggested pneumonic plague. While leptospirosis had not recently been described in the region, it was considered as a differential diagnosis. Anti-Leptospira antibodies were detected by microscopic agglutination test (MAT). A confirmed case of leptospirosis was defined as having consistent clinical signs and any one of the following: seroconversion or four-fold increase in MAT titre for paired serum samples, or a MAT titre ≥ 1:400 for acute-phase serum samples. Twenty-nine of the 54 patients or convalescents tested for leptospirosis were seropositive. Two cases showed a confirmed infection for both plague and leptospirosis. While evidence supports the plague nature of this outbreak, the results suggest that some of the suspected plague cases might be due to leptospirosis. In any case, this diagnosis will have to be evoked in the future if a similar outbreak occurs in this region of Africa. PMID:24514425

Commonly used severity scores are not good predictors of mortality in sepsis from severe leptospirosis: a series of ten patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Velissaris, Dimitrios; Karanikolas, Menelaos; Flaris, Nikolaos; Fligou, Fotini; Marangos, Markos; Filos, Kriton S

2012-01-01

Introduction. Severe leptospirosis, also known as Weil's disease, can cause multiorgan failure with high mortality. Scoring systems for disease severity have not been validated for leptospirosis, and there is no documented method to predict mortality. Methods. This is a case series on 10 patients admitted to ICU for multiorgan failure from severe leptospirosis. Data were collected retrospectively, with approval from the Institution Ethics Committee. Results. Ten patients with severe leptospirosis were admitted in the Patras University Hospital ICU in a four-year period. Although, based on SOFA scores, predicted mortality was over 80%, seven of 10 patients survived and were discharged from the hospital in good condition. There was no association between SAPS II or SOFA scores and mortality, but survivors had significantly lower APACHE II scores compared to nonsurvivors. Conclusion. Commonly used severity scores do not seem to be useful in predicting mortality in severe leptospirosis. Early ICU admission and resuscitation based on a goal-directed therapy protocol are recommended and may reduce mortality. However, this study is limited by retrospective data collection and small sample size. Data from large prospective studies are needed to validate our findings.

Penicillin at the late stage of leptospirosis: a randomized controlled trial

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Costa Everaldo

2003-01-01

Full Text Available There is evidence that an early start of penicillin reduces the case-fatality rate of leptospirosis and that chemoprophylaxis is efficacious in persons exposed to the sources of leptospira. The existent data, however, are inconsistent regarding the benefit of introducing penicillin at a late stage of leptospirosis. The present study was developed to assess whether the introduction of penicillin after more than four days of symptoms reduces the in-hospital case-fatality rate of leptospirosis. A total of 253 patients aged 15 to 76 years with advanced leptospirosis, i.e., more than four days of symptoms, admitted to an infectious disease hospital located in Salvador, Brazil, were selected for the study. The patients were randomized to one of two treatment groups: with intravenous penicillin, 6 million units day (one million unit every four hours for seven days (n = 125 and without (n = 128 penicillin. The main outcome was death during hospitalization. The case-fatality rate was approximately twice as high in the group treated with penicillin (12%; 15/125 than in the comparison group (6.3%; 8/128. This difference pointed in the opposite direction of the study hypothesis, but was not statistically significant (p = 0.112. Length of hospital stay was similar between the treatment groups. According to the results of the present randomized clinical trial initiation of penicillin in patients with severe forms of leptospirosis after at least four days of symptomatic leptospirosis is not beneficial. Therefore, more attention should be directed to prevention and earlier initiation of the treatment of leptospirosis.

Leptospirosis and brucellosis seroepidemiology in sheep and dogs from non-mechanized rural properties in the northwestern region in the state of Paraná

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Leila Alves de Oliveira

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Sheep breeding has been important in agribusiness, transforming the Brazilian productive scenario. However, it is still deficient due to the damages caused by infectious diseases. Leptospirosis is a severe disease with global distribution, caused by bacteria from the Leptospira genre affecting both humans and animals. The general infection is unapparent, or its clinical signs, when present, are similar to other infections. Brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria from the Brucella genre responsible for reproductive disorders in animals, especially ruminants. The purpose of this paper was to seroepidemiological study of Leptospira spp. and Brucella ovis in sheep and dogs from nonmechanized rural properties from the northwestern region in the state of Paraná, Brazil. In order to detect anti-Leptospira antibodies, microscopic agglutination (MAT was performed. For anti-Brucella antibodies, the agar gel immunodiffusion assay (AGID was performed. From the total 542 samples from sheep sera analyzed, 11.25% were considered reagent to Leptospira spp. and 18.26% to Brucella ovis. From the 36 dog samples, 25% were reagent to MAT and AGID. From the 32 properties analyzed, 75% were considered positive for leptospirosis and 56.25% for brucellosis. Antibodies against the most probable serovars were Hardjo (34.42% and Butembo (44.44% in sheep and dogs, respectively, and the variable exchange of animals among properties was associated to leptospiric infection (p=0.028 in sheep. Leptospirosis and brucellosis are present in the sheep herd and dogs in the rural properties studied, and such result is a warning of the zoonotic importance and the need to establish sanitary programs directed to these animal species.

The course and outcome of renal failure due to human leptospirosis referred to a hospital in North of Iran; A follow-up study.

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Ghasemian, Roya; Shokri, Mehran; Makhlough, Atieh; Suraki-Azad, Mohammad Amin

2016-01-01

Renal complication of leptospirosis is common and its clinical manifestations vary from urinary sediment changes to acute renal failure. The aim of this study was to determine the final outcome of renal involvement in leptospirosis. This longitudinal prospective study included all serologically confirmed cases of leptospirosis with evidence of renal failure. All patients were followed for three months while all patients with renal failure were followed-up for one year. Fifty-one patients, 53.5±14.8 years (82.4% males) with acute renal failure were studied. Over the hospitalization period, 28 patients recovered, and seven (13.72%) patients died of multiple organ failure. At the time of discharge, 16 patients had mild renal failure. Over the follow-up period, all patients recovered but in two patients renal failure persisted at creatinine level of 1.5 mg/dl. Development of renal failure in leptospirosis is not rare. Recovery of renal function may last several months. However, most patients recover completely at least after one year.

LigB subunit vaccine confers sterile immunity against challenge in the hamster model of leptospirosis.

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Neida L Conrad

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Neglected tropical diseases, including zoonoses such as leptospirosis, have a major impact on rural and poor urban communities, particularly in developing countries. This has led to major investment in antipoverty vaccines that focus on diseases that influence public health and thereby productivity. While the true, global, impact of leptospirosis is unknown due to the lack of adequate laboratory diagnosis, the WHO estimates that incidence has doubled over the last 15 years to over 1 million cases that require hospitalization every year. Leptospirosis is caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp. and is spread through direct contact with infected animals, their urine or contaminated water and soil. Inactivated leptospirosis vaccines, or bacterins, are approved in only a handful of countries due to the lack of heterologous protection (there are > 250 pathogenic Leptospira serovars and the serious side-effects associated with vaccination. Currently, research has focused on recombinant vaccines, a possible solution to these problems. However, due to a lack of standardised animal models, rigorous statistical analysis and poor reproducibility, this approach has met with limited success. We evaluated a subunit vaccine preparation, based on a conserved region of the leptospiral immunoglobulin-like B protein (LigB(131-645 and aluminium hydroxide (AH, in the hamster model of leptospirosis. The vaccine conferred significant protection (80.0-100%, P < 0.05 against mortality in vaccinated animals in seven independent experiments. The efficacy of the LigB(131-645/AH vaccine ranged from 87.5-100% and we observed sterile immunity (87.5-100% among the vaccinated survivors. Significant levels of IgM and IgG were induced among vaccinated animals, although they did not correlate with immunity. A mixed IgG1/IgG2 subclass profile was associated with the subunit vaccine, compared to the predominant IgG2 profile seen in bacterin vaccinated hamsters. These findings suggest

Evaluation of nested polymerase chain reaction for the early detection of Leptospira spp. DNA in serum samples from patients with leptospirosis.

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Blanco, Roberta Morozetti; Romero, Eliete Caló

2014-04-01

The aim of this study was to analyse the nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR) in human serum samples of patients with clinical manifestations of leptospirosis. The cases of leptospirosis were defined by the microagglutination test (MAT). The samples were collected in 2010. Of 1042 serum samples collected from 521 patients, 28 (5.4%) were considered positive cases of leptospirosis, and 493 (94.6%) were negative. Twenty-three confirmed cases had no MAT-detectable antibodies in the acute sample (mean of 5.6 days after onset). Nested PCR was positive in 22/23 (95.7%) patients during the acute phase of the disease, with negative results by MAT. Nested PCR was negative in all convalescent serum samples with positive results by MAT. All negative cases of leptospirosis were negative by nested PCR. The nested PCR is an alternative diagnostic tool for early detection of leptospires in sera during the first 7 days of the disease. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Leptospirosis in Franche-Comté (FRANCE): clinical, biological, and therapeutic data.

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Estavoyer, J M; Chirouze, C; Faucher, J F; Floret, N; Couetdic, G; Leroy, J; Hoen, B

2013-09-01

We report the patient data in 77 cases of leptospirosis confirmed by PCR and/or serology (micro-agglutination), observed between 1994 and 2008 at the Besançon teaching hospital. Our aim was to compare the epidemiological, clinical, biological, and therapeutic characteristics of leptospirosis in the Franche-Comté region, to those reported in other regions. The median age was 42years and 95% were male patients. Leptospirosis acquisition was likely related to aquatic leisure activities (50.6%), professional exposure (28.6%), building maintenance works (11.7%), or unknown (9.1%). Forty-eight cases were uncomplicated and 29 were severe presentations of leptospirosis. Among severe cases, eight patients had to be managed in an intensive care unit, and one patient died. L. grippotyphosa and L. icterohaemorrhagiae were the main serogroups involved. Age above 50years and serogroup L. icterohaemorrhagiae were positively associated with clinical severity. The outcome was favorable for 15 patients treated with ceftriaxone for less than 7days. We recommended conducting clinical trials aiming at validating short courses of ceftriaxone to treat leptospirosis. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier SAS.

Ionic imbalance and lack of effect of adjuvant treatment with methylene blue in the hamster model of leptospirosis

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Cleiton Silva Santos

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis in humans usually involves hypokalaemia and hypomagnesaemia and the putative mechanism underlying such ionic imbalances may be related to nitric oxide (NO production. We previously demonstrated the correlation between serum levels of NO and the severity of renal disease in patients with severe leptospirosis. Methylene blue inhibits soluble guanylyl cyclase (downstream of the action of any NO synthase isoforms and was recently reported to have beneficial effects on clinical and experimental sepsis. We investigated the occurrence of serum ionic changes in experimental leptospirosis at various time points (4, 8, 16 and 28 days in a hamster model. We also determined the effect of methylene blue treatment when administered as an adjuvant therapy, combined with late initiation of standard antibiotic (ampicillin treatment. Hypokalaemia was not reproduced in this model: all of the groups developed increased levels of serum potassium (K. Furthermore, hypermagnesaemia, rather than magnesium (Mg depletion, was observed in this hamster model of acute infection. These findings may be associated with an accelerated progression to acute renal failure. Adjuvant treatment with methylene blue had no effect on survival or serum Mg and K levels during acute-phase leptospirosis in hamsters.

Zoonotic occupational diseases in forestry workers – Lyme borreliosis, tularemia and leptospirosis in Europe

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Stéphanie Richard

2015-02-01

Full Text Available [b]Introduction[/b]. Forestry workers and other people who come into close contact with wild animals, such as hunters, natural science researchers, game managers or mushroom/berry pickers, are at risk of contracting bacterial, parasitological or viral zoonotic diseases. Synthetic data on the incidence and prevalence of zoonotic diseases in both animals and humans in European forests do not exist. It is therefore difficult to promote appropriate preventive measures among workers or people who come into direct or indirect contact with forest animals. [b]Objectives.[/b] The objectives of this review are to synthesise existing knowledge on the prevalence of the three predominant bacterial zoonotic diseases in Europe, i.e. Lyme borreliosis, tularemia and leptospirosis, in order to draw up recommendations for occupational or public health. [b]Methods[/b]. 88 papers published between 1995–2013 (33 on Lyme borreliosis, 30 on tularemia and 25 on leptospirosis were analyzed. [b]Conclusions[/b]. The prevalences of these three zoonotic diseases are not negligible and information targeting the public is needed. Moreover, the results highlight the lack of standardised surveys among different European countries. It was also noted that epidemiological data on leptospirosis are very scarce

Spatial and Statistical Analysis of Leptospirosis in Guilan Province, Iran

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Nia, A. Mohammadi; Alimohammadi, A.; Habibi, R.; Shirzadi, M. R.

2015-12-01

The most underdiagnosed water-borne bacterial zoonosis in the world is Leptospirosis which especially impacts tropical and humid regions. According to World Health Organization (WHO), the number of human cases is not known precisely. Available reports showed that worldwide incidences vary from 0.1-1 per 100 000 per year in temperate climates to 10-100 per 100 000 in the humid tropics. Pathogenic bacteria that is spread by the urines of rats is the main reason of water and soil infections. Rice field farmers who are in contact with infected water or soil, contain the most burden of leptospirosis prevalence. In recent years, this zoonotic disease have been occurred in north of Iran endemically. Guilan as the second rice production province (average=750 000 000 Kg, 40% of country production) after Mazandaran, has one of the most rural population (Male=487 679, Female=496 022) and rice workers (47 621 insured workers) among Iran provinces. The main objectives of this study were to analyse yearly spatial distribution and the possible spatial clusters of leptospirosis to better understand epidemiological aspects of them in the province. Survey was performed during the period of 2009-2013 at rural district level throughout the study area. Global clustering methods including the average nearest neighbour distance, Moran's I and General G indices were utilized to investigate the annual spatial distribution of diseases. At the end, significant spatial clusters have been detected with the objective of informing priority areas for public health planning and resource allocation.

COMPARISON OF 16S rRNA-PCR-RFLP, LipL32-PCR AND OmpL1-PCR METHODS IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF LEPTOSPIROSIS

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Tülin GÜVEN GÖKMEN

Full Text Available SUMMARY Leptospirosis is still one of the most important health problems in developing countries located in humid tropical and subtropical regions. Human infections are generally caused by exposure to water, soil or food contaminated with the urine of infected wild and domestic animals such as rodents and dogs. The clinical course of leptospirosis is variable and may be difficult to distinguish from many other infectious diseases. The dark-field microscopy (DFM, serology and nucleic acid amplification techniques are used to diagnose leptospirosis, however, a distinctive standard reference method is still lacking. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to determine the presence of Leptospira spp., to differentiate the pathogenic L. interrogans and the non-pathogenic L. biflexa, and also to determine the sensitivity and specificity values of molecular methods as an alternative to conventional ones. A total of 133 serum samples, from 47 humans and 86 cattle were evaluated by two conventional tests: the Microagglutination Test (MAT and the DFM, as well as three molecular methods, the 16S rRNA-PCR followed by Restriction Fragment Lenght Polymorphism (RFLP of the amplification products 16S rRNA-PCR-RFLP, LipL32-PCR and OmpL1-PCR. In this study, for L. interrogans, the specificity and sensitivity rates of the 16S rRNA-PCR and the LipL32-PCR were considered similar (100% versus 98.25% and 100% versus 98.68%, respectively. The OmpL1-PCR was able to classify L. interrogans into two intergroups, but this PCR was less sensitive (87.01% than the other two PCR methods. The 16S rRNA-PCR-RFLP could detect L. biflexa DNA, but LipL32-PCR and OmpL1-PCR could not. The 16S rRNA-PCR-RFLP provided an early and accurate diagnosis and was able to distinguish pathogenic and non-pathogenic Leptospira species, hence it may be used as an alternative method to the conventional gold standard techniques for the rapid disgnosis of leptospirosis.

Portrait of leptospirosis in the State of Acre, Brazil

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Eloizy Mariana Dias de Medeiros Cirilo Costa

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Leptospirosis is an acute bacterial disease, that has global distribution and manifests itself in subclinical or asymptomatic way, having mild or severe conditions that can lead to the death of the patient. Objective: To identify, among the municipalities of the state of Acre, Brazil, those with the highest incidence of leptospirosis between 2010 and 2015, and in addition, to determine the prevalence of this disease between the sexes. Methods: Descriptive study, of documentary character, with epidemiological base and quantitative approach. It was made by available documents through the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System of Brazil (DATASUS and also by the Health Secretary of State of Acre (SESACRE. Variables were selected as sex, age and year of notification. Regarding the analysis, it is emphasized that it was quantitative and descriptive and the results were presented in tables built in Microsoft Word. Results: It was found that the capital of the state of Acre, Rio Branco, led every year, contributing to the higher proportion of notifications related to leptospirosis. Regarding gender, there was a predilection for males and among age groups, the period of 20 to 39 years contributes to the greater number of cases of the disease. Conclusion: Leptospirosis is a worldwide public health problem and in the state of Acre, the high rainfall, the agglomeration of low income combined with inadequate sanitation, collaborate to infestation of transmitters animals, providing high rates of the disease. Thus, it appears that these high numbers can probably be attributed to the ineffectiveness of preventive activities, as well as insufficient investment directed to social policies and infrastructure sectors. Keywords: Infectious Disease. Leptospirosis. Prevalence. Incidence.

[The reactogenicity and immunogenicity of the first Cuban vaccine against human leptospirosis].

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez Sánchez, R; Obregón Fuentes, A M; Pérez Sierra, A; Baly Gil, A; Díaz González, M; Baró Suárez, M; Menéndez Capote, R; Ruiz Pérez, A; Sierra González, G; López Chávez, A U

1998-01-01

A controlled double-blind trial was conducted with the participation of 80 adult volunteers of both sexes, who were randomly divided into groups of 40 individuals each one. The case-base study received the vaccine and the control group was administered placebo to know the safety, the behaviour of reactogenicity, and to star the immunogenicity studies of the first Cuban vaccine against human leptospirosis. The vaccine used in the case-base study was an inactivated and trivalent vaccine containing strains of Leptospira canicola, icterohaemorrhagiae and pomona, since they have the highest circulation in the country. The results obtained showed the inocuity of the vaccine as no adverse severe reactions were detected. The general symptomatology observed was low, where as febricula was the most common general symptom. It appeared during the first 3 days of observation and there were no significant differences between the 2 group. Only a mild pain at the site of the injection was reported as a local symptom, which was more frequent in the vaccinated group than in the control group (7.8 against 1.5%, respectively). The seroconversion obtained was of 29% by microagglutination, and of 34.2% by ELISA. The final results allowed to conclude that this vaccine is safe for human adults at the ages under study, and give the possibility to continue other studies in more advanced stages to complete the requirements for obtaining its license.

Leptospira spp. y leptospirosis humana

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Claudia M. Romero-Vivas

2016-01-01

Full Text Available La leptospirosis, la enfermedad bacteriana zoonótica y emergente más importante en el mundo, es causada por las especies patógenas de Leptospira spp. Han sido descritas veinte especies de Leptospira spp.; se ha determinado la secuencia del ADN genómico de algunas cepas patógenas; la función de la mayoría de los genes involucrados en su patogénesis permanece desconocida. La leptospirosis humana presenta un rango de síntomas que van desde una fiebre indiferenciada hasta una ictericia, hemorragia, fallas renales y pulmonares severas. La administración temprana e intravenosa de penicilina G es requerida para reducir las tasas de mortalidad, pero los antibióticos pueden no ser efectivos en la enfermedad pulmonar severa. En las Américas, las áreas de alto riesgo son Brasil, Centroamérica y el Caribe. En Colombia se han realizado pocos estudios. La prueba serológica de oro, la microaglutinación, tiene alta sesibilidad y especificidad cuando se usan baterías de serovariedades locales, pero es serogrupo específica. Las vacunas generan respuestas específicas para la serovariedad usada, pero no previenen la infección o trasmisión. Problemas en el diagnóstico de laboratorio de la leptospirosis conllevan a un subregistro en el número de casos; altas tasas de mortalidad asociadas a fallas renal y pulmonar son resultado de las dificultades en el manejo de los casos.

Evaluación de la efectividad de una nueva vacuna contra la leptospirosis humana en grupos en riesgo Evaluation of the effectiveness of a new vaccine against human leptospirosis among groups at risk

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Raydel Martínez Sánchez

2000-12-01

Full Text Available Se realizó un estudio de cohorte prospectivo cuasi experimental que incluyó a los grupos en riesgo de enfermar de leptospirosis en la provincia de Holguín para evaluar la efectividad de la vacuna contra la leptospirosis humana. Se incluyeron 118 018 personas de 15 a 65 años que presentaban un riesgo permanente o temporal de contraer la enfermedad; de estas, 101 137 fueron inmunizadas con dos dosis de 0,5 mL por vía intramuscular profunda en el músculo deltoides del brazo no dominante, con un intervalo de 6 semanas, constituyendo la cohorte de vacunados, mientras que 16 881 personas no inmunizadas pasaron a integrar la cohorte de no vacunados. A los 21 días de aplicada la segunda dosis, el universo de estudio (previamente censado en un registro de modelo fue seguido por el sistema local de vigilancia epidemiológica con el objetivo de detectar la enfermedad. El criterio de caso sospechoso y confirmado se conservó durante todo el período de estudio. En el presente trabajo se exponen los resultados al año de haber comenzado el período de vigilancia epidemiológica. La efectividad calculada fue de 97%. Se estima que se logró prevenir 8 de cada 10 casos que se hubieran presentado en esta provincia de no haberse realizado la vacunación. También se midió la reactogenicidad de la vacuna en una submuestra de 1 500 voluntarios de 15 a 65 años de edad. La sintomatología observada fue baja, siendo el dolor ligero en el sitio de la inyección el síntoma más referido (25%. Los resultados del estudio aportan elementos que prueban la utilidad de la nueva vacuna para la prevención de la leptospirosis en personas expuestas al riesgo, por lo que en este grupo se recomienda su aplicación.In order to evaluate the effectiveness of a new vaccine against human leptospirosis, a prospective cohort study was done with persons in the Cuban province of Holguín who were at risk of becoming ill with leptospirosis. The study included 118 018 persons from

Leptospirosis humana en la atención primaria de salud: pautas para su prevención y control Human leptospirosis in health primary care: guidelines for its prevention and control

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Denis Berdasquera Corcho

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Durante las dos últimas décadas se ha observado a nivel mundial un alza en el número de casos de leptospirosis humana, frecuentemente asociada a desastres naturales. En Cuba, esta enfermedad tiene un comportamiento endemo epidémico, y estacional. Las características tropicales del país, el clima, la orografía, la red fluvial natural y la artificial, las extensas áreas agrícolas, y los regímenes lluviosos en determinadas épocas del año, han propiciado un aumento en el número de casos de esta enfermedad. En el presente artículo se hace una revisión documental del tema y se propone una guía para el control y prevención de esta zoonosis en la atención primaria de salud, y así brindarle al Médico de Familia elementos importantes para su trabajo diario en la comunidad.For two last decades it was observed a rise in cases of human leptospirosis frequently associated to natural disasters. In Cuba, this condition has a endemic, epidemic, and seasonal behaviour. Tropical features of our country, climate, orography, natural and artificial fluvial network, extensive agricultural areas, and rainy regimes en determined times of year, have propitiate a increase in case-number of this disease. In present paper a documentary review of this topic was made and we propose a guide for control and prevention of this zoonosis in health primary care, and thus provide to Family Physician with significant components for his daily practice in community.

Leptospirosis: a globally increasing zoonotic disease.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Rock, Clare

2010-01-01

A 27-year-old previously healthy man was admitted to the intensive care unit with severe jaundice, dyspnoea with haemoptysis, anaemia, thrombocytopenia and acute renal injury. He had no recent history of foreign travel but had been building a shed in his back garden in Cork, Ireland, for the preceding week. The patient\\'s history, clinical observations, haematological and radiological results were all consistent with icteric leptospirosis or Weil\\'s disease. This was confirmed on serological testing. He completed 7 days intravenous ceftriaxone and made a complete recovery. While endemic in tropical climates, leptospirosis incidence is increasing in temperate climates. Recent cases seen in temperate climates can be severe, particularly with pulmonary manifestations. The report of this case serves to increase awareness of this re-emerging potentially fatal infectious disease.

Risk factors of leptospirosis among febrile hospital admissions in northeastern Malaysia.

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Rafizah, A A Noor; Aziah, B D; Azwany, Y N; Imran, M Kamarul; Rusli, A Mohamed; Nazri, S Mohd; Nikman, A Mohd; Nabilah, I; Asma', H Siti; Zahiruddin, W M; Zaliha, I

2013-01-01

Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease. Risk factors for the disease may vary among countries. This study was conducted to determine the risk factors of leptospirosis among febrile cases. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 999 febrile patients admitted to 10 hospitals in northeastern Malaysia, from August 2010 to February 2011. An interviewer-guided proforma sheet on sociodemography, type of occupation and social history data was distributed to all adult patients with fever on admission. Serum sample for leptospirosis was screened by IgM Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (IgM ELISA) test and confirmed by Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT). The cut-off point for positive MAT was ≥ 1:400 titer in single acute specimens. Seroprevalence of leptospirosis was 8.4% (95% CI: 6.8, 10.3) (n=84/999) by MAT. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the high risk occupation group (OR: 1.95, 95% CI: 1.22, 3.13) (p=0.005) and history of recent recreational activity (OR: 2.36, 95% CI: 1.46, 3.85) (pMalaysia. Identification of high risk occupational group and history of recent recreational activity will help to increase the index of suspicion to diagnose leptospirosis among febrile inpatients due to its mimicking other common febrile illnesses in Malaysia. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Seroepidemiological study of leptospirosis among the communities living in periurban areas of Sarawak, Malaysia.

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Thayaparan, S; Robertson, I D; Fairuz, A; Suut, L; Gunasekera, U C; Abdullah, M T

2015-10-01

Leptospirosis is endemic to tropical regions of the world and is re-emerging as a new danger to public health in Malaysia. the purpose of this particular study was to determine the common leptospiral serovars present in human communities living around wildlife reserves/disturbed forest habitats. the objective of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of leptospirosis and finding infecting serovars in villages surrounded habitats where wildlife lives in Sarawak, Malaysia. A cross-sectional serological survey of 198 humans was conducted in four villages around Kuching, Sarawak between January 2011 and March 2012. A seroprevalence of 35.9% (95%cI 29.2-43.0) to the MAt was detected in the tested humans. Antibodies to serovar Lepto 175 Sarawak were most commonly detected (31.3%; 95%cI 24.9-38.3) and were detected in individuals at all four locations. the presence of skin wounds (Or 3.1), farm animals (Or 2.5) and rats (Or 11.2) were all significantly associated with seropositivity in a multivariable logistic regression model. the results of the current study are important as wildlife may act as reservoirs of leptospires for humans. Health authorities should expand disease control measures to minimise the spill-over from wildlife to humans visiting, living or working in the sampled locations. the pathogenic status of serovar Lepto 175 Sarawak also requires further investigation.

Leptospirosis in sheep and goats under tropical conditions.

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Martins, Gabriel; Lilenbaum, Walter

2014-01-01

Inadequate management practices and poor reproductive performance have been reported as fundamental factors on reducing the levels of productivity in livestock. Different pathogens have been reported in small ruminants' herds/flocks with reproductive failures. The aim of the present study was to review aspects of leptospirosis in small ruminants, mainly its impact on reproduction and consequently on productivity of the herds/flocks under tropical conditions. Leptospiral infection in goats and sheep is common in several countries, and those species can also act as carriers of leptospires. Severe disease is often associated to young animals and is frequently associated to incidental serovars. In contrast, subclinical infection is mainly characterized by reproductive problems, such as infertility, abortion, occurrence of stillbirths, and weak lambs/goat kids. Moreover, laboratorial tests are essential to achieve an accurate diagnosis of the infection. Microscopic agglutination test is the most common indirect test of leptospirosis, being used worldwide. In small ruminants, PCR consists on a recommendable method for diagnosing animals that carry leptospires. Control of leptospirosis in small ruminants involves measures such as the identification and treatment of the carriers and other sources of infection, quarantine in acquired animals, and systematic immunization with commercial vaccines containing the circulating serovars in the herd/flock. Productivity of small ruminant breeding can dramatically increase with adequate sanitary conditions and control of leptospirosis. Immunization of all the animals combined to the treatment of carriers may successfully control the infection and importantly reduce the economic reproductive hazards that are observed under tropical conditions.

A cross sectional study of leptospirosis and fetal death in Yucatan, Mexico

OpenAIRE

Cárdenas-Marrufo, MaríaFidelia; Vado-Solis, Ignacio; Pérez-Osorio, Carlos; Peniche-Lara, Gaspar; Segura-Correa, José

2016-01-01

Introduction: Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease affecting mainly to low income human population. Acute leptospiral infection during pregnancy has been associated with spontaneous abortion and fetal death during the first trimester and the abortion may occur as consequence of systemic failure. Objective: To estimate the frequency of Leptospira interrogans infection in women with spontaneous abortion in the state of Yucatan, Mexico. Methods: A cross sectional study on women with spontaneous a...

Large-scale application of highly-diluted bacteria for Leptospirosis epidemic control.

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Bracho, Gustavo; Varela, Enrique; Fernández, Rolando; Ordaz, Barbara; Marzoa, Natalia; Menéndez, Jorge; García, Luis; Gilling, Esperanza; Leyva, Richard; Rufín, Reynaldo; de la Torre, Rubén; Solis, Rosa L; Batista, Niurka; Borrero, Reinier; Campa, Concepción

2010-07-01

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of major importance in the tropics where the incidence peaks in rainy seasons. Natural disasters represent a big challenge to Leptospirosis prevention strategies especially in endemic regions. Vaccination is an effective option but of reduced effectiveness in emergency situations. Homeoprophylactic interventions might help to control epidemics by using highly-diluted pathogens to induce protection in a short time scale. We report the results of a very large-scale homeoprophylaxis (HP) intervention against Leptospirosis in a dangerous epidemic situation in three provinces of Cuba in 2007. Forecast models were used to estimate possible trends of disease incidence. A homeoprophylactic formulation was prepared from dilutions of four circulating strains of Leptospirosis. This formulation was administered orally to 2.3 million persons at high risk in an epidemic in a region affected by natural disasters. The data from surveillance were used to measure the impact of the intervention by comparing with historical trends and non-intervention regions. After the homeoprophylactic intervention a significant decrease of the disease incidence was observed in the intervention regions. No such modifications were observed in non-intervention regions. In the intervention region the incidence of Leptospirosis fell below the historic median. This observation was independent of rainfall. The homeoprophylactic approach was associated with a large reduction of disease incidence and control of the epidemic. The results suggest the use of HP as a feasible tool for epidemic control, further research is warranted. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High levels of serum mannose-binding lectin are associated with the severity of clinical signs of leptospirosis

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K.A. Miranda

2009-04-01

Full Text Available The clinical heterogeneity observed in leptospirosis may be associated with host factors or bacteria virulence. Human serum mannose-binding lectin (MBL recognizes many pathogens, and low levels of this lectin are associated with susceptibility to infection. MBL is also implicated in the modulation of the inflammatory process. We determined the levels of serum MBL during leptospirosis infection. A double-antibody sandwich ELISA was used to detect the immunoreactive serum MBL. The ELISA plates were coated with monoclonal antibody to MBL and bound MBL or recombinant human MBL were detected by rabbit anti-human MBL serum. HRPO-conjugated goat anti-rabbit antibody was used for detection of the reaction. Two groups of patients seen at referral hospitals in Recife, PE, Brazil, were divided according to the year of infection, 2001 (N = 61 or 2002 (N = 57 and compared in terms of disease severity and levels of serum MBL. A group of healthy volunteers (N = 97 matched by age, gender, and ethnic background was used as control. Patients infected in 2001 had more severe outcomes than those infected in 2002, including jaundice, hemorrhage, respiratory alteration, and renal complication (P = 0.0009; chi-square test. The frequency of patients producing serum MBL >1000 ng/mL was higher in the 2001 group than in the 2002 and control groups (P < 0.01, suggesting an association of MBL level with disease severity. The involvement of MBL and genetic variation of the MBL2 gene should be further evaluated to establish the role of this lectin in the pathogenesis of leptospirosis.

Differential cytokine gene expression according to outcome in a hamster model of leptospirosis.

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Frédérique Vernel-Pauillac

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Parameters predicting the evolution of leptospirosis would be useful for clinicians, as well as to better understand severe leptospirosis, but are scarce and rarely validated. Because severe leptospirosis includes septic shock, similarities with predictors evidenced for sepsis and septic shock were studied in a hamster model. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using an LD50 model of leptospirosis in hamsters, we first determined that 3 days post-infection was a time-point that allowed studying the regulation of immune gene expression and represented the onset of the clinical signs of the disease. In the absence of tools to assess serum concentrations of immune effectors in hamsters, we determined mRNA levels of various immune genes, especially cytokines, together with leptospiraemia at this particular time-point. We found differential expression of both pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators, with significantly higher expression levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 1alpha, cyclo-oxygenase 2 and interleukin 10 genes in nonsurvivors compared to survivors. Higher leptospiraemia was also observed in nonsurvivors. Lastly, we demonstrated the relevance of these results by comparing their respective expression levels using a LD100 model or an isogenic high-passage nonvirulent variant. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Up-regulated gene expression of both pro- and anti-inflammatory immune effectors in hamsters with fatal outcome in an LD50 model of leptospirosis, together with a higher Leptospira burden, suggest that these gene expression levels could be predictors of adverse outcome in leptospirosis.

Travel-related leptospirosis: a series of 15 imported cases.

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van de Werve, Charlotte; Perignon, Alice; Jauréguiberry, Stéphane; Bricaire, François; Bourhy, Pascal; Caumes, Eric

2013-01-01

Leptospirosis belongs to the spectrum of travel-related infections. We retrospectively studied all the consecutive cases of travel-related leptospirosis seen in our department between January 2008 and September 2011. Patients were included with a clinical picture compatible with the disease within 21 days after return, the presence of a thermoresistant antigen or IgM antibodies, Elisa ≥ 1 /400, and a positive microagglutination test (MAT) ≥ 1/100. Fifteen leptospirosis cases were evaluated. Exposure occurred in Asia (47%), Africa (20%), the Caribbean (20%), and Indian Ocean (13%). Fourteen patients were infected during water-related activities. On admission the most frequent symptoms were fever (100%), headache (80%), and digestive disorders (67%). Relevant laboratory findings included impaired liver function tests (100%), lymphocytopenia (80%), thrombocytopenia (67%), and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) (67%). Our cases were confirmed by MAT that found antibodies against nine different serovars. Seven patients were cured with amoxicillin, four with doxycycline, two with ceftriaxone, one with ceftriaxone, doxycycline, and spiramycin, whereas one recovered spontaneously (retrospective diagnosis). Eight patients were hospitalized. All patients recovered. Our cases involved nine different serovars. They were related to travel in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. Bathing or other fresh-water leisure activities (canoeing, kayaking, rafting) are the most likely at-risk exposure. Any traveler with fever and at-risk exposure should be investigated for leptospirosis. © 2013 International Society of Travel Medicine.

INFEKSI LEPTOSPIROSIS DENGAN GEJALA JAUNDICE DAN ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY: SEBUAH LAPORAN KASUS

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I Made Ade Sukma Gautama

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Infeksi leptospirosis adalah penyakit zoonosis yang disebabkan oleh mikro organisme dari genus Leptospira. Penularan penyakit ini melalui kontak langsung ataupun tidak langsung dari urin hewan yang terinfeksi. Angka perkiraan kejadian infeksi leptospirosis di dunia antara 100 per 100.000 populasi pada grup yang berisiko tinggi, dengan proporsi angka kematian mencapai 22%, tepatnya penanganan yang diberikan akan menurunkan angka kematian akibat infeksi ini dan komplikasi yang lebih berat yang dapat terjadi seperti Weil disease. Laporan kasus ini membahas tentang infeksi leptospirosis pada seorang laki-laki berusia 21 tahun disertai pemeriksaan serologi antibodi leptospira menunjukkan hasil positif. Pada pasien ini dilakukan penanganan berupa hemodialisa cito dan pemberian antibiotik ceftriaxone.

Estimating leptospirosis incidence using hospital-based surveillance and a population-based health care utilization survey in Tanzania.

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Holly M Biggs

Full Text Available The incidence of leptospirosis, a neglected zoonotic disease, is uncertain in Tanzania and much of sub-Saharan Africa, resulting in scarce data on which to prioritize resources for public health interventions and disease control. In this study, we estimate the incidence of leptospirosis in two districts in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania.We conducted a population-based household health care utilization survey in two districts in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania and identified leptospirosis cases at two hospital-based fever sentinel surveillance sites in the Kilimanjaro Region. We used multipliers derived from the health care utilization survey and case numbers from hospital-based surveillance to calculate the incidence of leptospirosis. A total of 810 households were enrolled in the health care utilization survey and multipliers were derived based on responses to questions about health care seeking in the event of febrile illness. Of patients enrolled in fever surveillance over a 1 year period and residing in the 2 districts, 42 (7.14% of 588 met the case definition for confirmed or probable leptospirosis. After applying multipliers to account for hospital selection, test sensitivity, and study enrollment, we estimated the overall incidence of leptospirosis ranges from 75-102 cases per 100,000 persons annually.We calculated a high incidence of leptospirosis in two districts in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania, where leptospirosis incidence was previously unknown. Multiplier methods, such as used in this study, may be a feasible method of improving availability of incidence estimates for neglected diseases, such as leptospirosis, in resource constrained settings.

Estimating Leptospirosis Incidence Using Hospital-Based Surveillance and a Population-Based Health Care Utilization Survey in Tanzania

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Biggs, Holly M.; Hertz, Julian T.; Munishi, O. Michael; Galloway, Renee L.; Marks, Florian; Saganda, Wilbrod; Maro, Venance P.; Crump, John A.

2013-01-01

Background The incidence of leptospirosis, a neglected zoonotic disease, is uncertain in Tanzania and much of sub-Saharan Africa, resulting in scarce data on which to prioritize resources for public health interventions and disease control. In this study, we estimate the incidence of leptospirosis in two districts in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania. Methodology/Principal Findings We conducted a population-based household health care utilization survey in two districts in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania and identified leptospirosis cases at two hospital-based fever sentinel surveillance sites in the Kilimanjaro Region. We used multipliers derived from the health care utilization survey and case numbers from hospital-based surveillance to calculate the incidence of leptospirosis. A total of 810 households were enrolled in the health care utilization survey and multipliers were derived based on responses to questions about health care seeking in the event of febrile illness. Of patients enrolled in fever surveillance over a 1 year period and residing in the 2 districts, 42 (7.14%) of 588 met the case definition for confirmed or probable leptospirosis. After applying multipliers to account for hospital selection, test sensitivity, and study enrollment, we estimated the overall incidence of leptospirosis ranges from 75–102 cases per 100,000 persons annually. Conclusions/Significance We calculated a high incidence of leptospirosis in two districts in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania, where leptospirosis incidence was previously unknown. Multiplier methods, such as used in this study, may be a feasible method of improving availability of incidence estimates for neglected diseases, such as leptospirosis, in resource constrained settings. PMID:24340122

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Related to Leptospirosis among Urban Slum Residents in Brazil

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Navegantes de Araújo, Wildo; Finkmoore, Brooke; Ribeiro, Guilherme S.; Reis, Renato B.; Felzemburgh, Ridalva D. M.; Hagan, José E.; Reis, Mitermayer G.; Ko, Albert I.; Costa, Federico

2013-01-01

Leptospirosis disproportionately affects residents of urban slums. To understand the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding leptospirosis, we conducted a cross-sectional study among residents of an urban slum community in Salvador, Brazil. Of the 257 residents who were interviewed, 225 (90%) were aware of leptospirosis and more than two-thirds of respondents correctly identified the modes of disease transmission and ways to reduce exposure. However, study participants who performed risk activities such as cleaning open sewers had limited access to protective clothing such as boots (33%) or gloves (35%). Almost all respondents performed at least one activity to prevent household rat infestation, which often included use of an illegal poison. Our findings support the need for interventions targeted at the individual and household levels to reduce risk of leptospirosis until large-scale structural interventions are available to residents of urban slum communities. PMID:23269657

Serological prevalence of leptospirosis in cattle slaughtered in the Zango abattoir in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria

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Emmanuel O. Ngbede

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is an occupational zoonosis caused by pathogenic leptospires. In this study, the presence and prevalence of antibodies specific to Leptospira spp. serovar Hardjo in 142 cattle slaughtered between June and July 2011 was investigated using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA. Five (3.50% of the 142 cattle sampled were seropositive for antibodies to Leptospira spp. serovar Hardjo. Despite the fact that there was no significant difference (p>0.05 in seropositivity between sexes and between breeds sampled, there was a significant difference (p<0.05 in sero-positivity between the different age groups examined. Leptospirosis is present in cattle slaughtered in the Zango abattoir; butchers and abattoir workers are exposed to infected animals and are at risk of being infected by Leptospira spp. serovar Hardjo.

Exploring governance for a One Health collaboration for leptospirosis prevention and control in Fiji: Stakeholder perceptions, evidence, and processes.

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McPherson, Anna; Hill, Peter S; Kama, Mike; Reid, Simon

2018-03-30

Fiji has a high burden of leptospirosis, with endemic infection and epidemic outbreaks with high mortality, often associated with flooding and cyclones. As a zoonosis, leptospirosis control requires interventions in sectors beyond the usual control of health-in Fiji, the dairy and sugar industries, and water and sanitation and rodent control in communities. This paper presents the findings of qualitative research to inform policy around governance for a One Health multisectoral approach to leptospirosis control. Key informants from relevant government agencies and industry organizations were interviewed in late 2014, and the interviews analyzed and triangulated with documentary analysis. The analysis identified 5 themes: perceptions of the impact of leptospirosis, governance processes, models for collaboration, leptospirosis control, and preferred leadership for leptospirosis management. Data were limited, with poor communication between ministries, and limited awareness of leptospirosis outside outbreaks. Collaboration during outbreaks was positive but not sustained in endemic periods. Mechanism for enhanced collaboration was developed for endemic and outbreak situations. The findings informed a One Health governance approach to leptospirosis, framed within a National Strategic Plan, with a specific National Action Plan for Leptospirosis. The process provides a research based One Health template for application to other zoonotic diseases. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Use of Chemoprophylaxis after Floods to Reduce the Occurrence and Impact of Leptospirosis Outbreaks

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Maria Cristina Schneider

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Record-breaking and devastating rainfall events have occurred in the past decade. Rain and floods are considered the main risk factors for leptospirosis and several outbreaks have been reported following extreme weather events. In such situations, one possible intervention to prevent leptospirosis cases in high-risk groups is the use of chemoprophylaxis. However, not enough evidence of its effect is available. The objectives of this study were to review the literature on the current practices of chemoprophylaxis for leptospirosis and to explore, using a mathematical model, how various chemoprophylaxis scenarios may affect the progression of a leptospirosis outbreak. Twenty-six peer-reviewed publications were selected (10 quantitative studies, two systematic reviews and 14 articles of other types. Oral doxycycline was the most used antibiotic for chemoprophylaxis of leptospirosis. Post-exposure prophylaxis was assessed in four studies following a natural disaster. Although evidence of the effectiveness of post-exposure prophylaxis is inconsistent, the direction of association supported a protective effect for morbidity and mortality. The theoretical model showed how the assumed benefit of chemoprophylaxis was influenced by the time and rate of administration. Future models should consider the heterogeneity of affected communities, improved estimates of the effect of chemoprophylaxis on leptospirosis infection and disease, as well as potential detrimental impacts. Additional research is critical to provide clear evidence-based recommendations for leptospirosis control during an outbreak. The results of this study suggest that chemoprophylaxis may provide some protection in reducing the number of leptospirosis cases after a high-risk exposure; however, the effective benefit may depend on a variety of factors such as the timing and coverage of prophylaxis. The information summarized can be used to support decision-making during a high-risk event.

The Use of Chemoprophylaxis after Floods to Reduce the Occurrence and Impact of Leptospirosis Outbreaks.

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Schneider, Maria Cristina; Velasco-Hernandez, Jorge; Min, Kyung-Duk; Leonel, Deise Galan; Baca-Carrasco, David; Gompper, Matthew E; Hartskeerl, Rudy; Munoz-Zanzi, Claudia

2017-06-03

Record-breaking and devastating rainfall events have occurred in the past decade. Rain and floods are considered the main risk factors for leptospirosis and several outbreaks have been reported following extreme weather events. In such situations, one possible intervention to prevent leptospirosis cases in high-risk groups is the use of chemoprophylaxis. However, not enough evidence of its effect is available. The objectives of this study were to review the literature on the current practices of chemoprophylaxis for leptospirosis and to explore, using a mathematical model, how various chemoprophylaxis scenarios may affect the progression of a leptospirosis outbreak. Twenty-six peer-reviewed publications were selected (10 quantitative studies, two systematic reviews and 14 articles of other types). Oral doxycycline was the most used antibiotic for chemoprophylaxis of leptospirosis. Post-exposure prophylaxis was assessed in four studies following a natural disaster. Although evidence of the effectiveness of post-exposure prophylaxis is inconsistent, the direction of association supported a protective effect for morbidity and mortality. The theoretical model showed how the assumed benefit of chemoprophylaxis was influenced by the time and rate of administration. Future models should consider the heterogeneity of affected communities, improved estimates of the effect of chemoprophylaxis on leptospirosis infection and disease, as well as potential detrimental impacts. Additional research is critical to provide clear evidence-based recommendations for leptospirosis control during an outbreak. The results of this study suggest that chemoprophylaxis may provide some protection in reducing the number of leptospirosis cases after a high-risk exposure; however, the effective benefit may depend on a variety of factors such as the timing and coverage of prophylaxis. The information summarized can be used to support decision-making during a high-risk event.

Strategies for diagnosis and treatment of suspected leptospirosis: a cost-benefit analysis.

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Yupin Suputtamongkol

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Symptoms and signs of leptospirosis are non-specific. Several diagnostic tests for leptospirosis are available and in some instances are being used prior to treatment of leptospirosis-suspected patients. There is therefore a need to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the different treatment strategies in order to avoid misuse of scarce resources and ensure best possible health outcomes for patients. METHODS: The study population was adult patients, presented with uncomplicated acute febrile illness, without an obvious focus of infection or malaria or typical dengue infection. We compared the cost and effectiveness of 5 management strategies: 1 no patients tested or given antibiotic treatment; 2 all patients given empirical doxycycline treatment; patients given doxycycline when a patient is tested positive for leptospirosis using: 3 lateral flow; 4 MCAT; 5 latex test. The framework used is a cost-benefit analysis, accounting for all direct medical costs in diagnosing and treating patients suspected of leptospirosis. Outcomes are measured in length of fever after treatment which is then converted to productivity losses to capture the full economic costs. FINDINGS: Empirical doxycycline treatment was the most efficient strategy, being both the least costly alternative and the one that resulted in the shortest duration of fever. The limited sensitivity of all three diagnostic tests implied that their use to guide treatment was not cost-effective. The most influential parameter driving these results was the cost of treating patients with complications for patients who did not receive adequate treatment as a result of incorrect diagnosis or a strategy of no-antibiotic-treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should continue treating suspected cases of leptospirosis on an empirical basis. This conclusion holds true as long as policy makers are not prioritizing the reduction of use of antibiotics, in which case the use of the latex test would be

Co-infection of scrub typhus and leptospirosis in patients with pyrexia of unknown origin in Longding district of Arunachal Pradesh in 2013.

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Borkakoty, Biswajyoti; Jakharia, Aniruddha; Biswas, Dipankar; Mahanta, Jagadish

2016-01-01

Scrub typhus and leptospirosis are bacterial zoonotic disease causing high morbidity and mortality. The seasonal outbreak of pyrexia is common in Arunachal Pradesh (AP); many times the disease remains undiagnosed. An outbreak of pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO) occurred in Longding district of Arunachal Pradesh in 2013, with 108 deaths, which was investigated to elucidate the cause of illness. Blood samples from the affected region with acute pyrexia were collected, and screened for the malaria parasite, scrub typhus IgM and leptospira IgM. Scrub typhus IgM was reactive in 97% (30/31), and 25% (8/31) cases were co-infected with leptospira. Incidentally, scrub typhus reactive (67%) and leptospira co-infection (62.7%) were higher in females. Record of previous 3 years (2011-2013) from Longding, Community Health Centre showed an increase in indoor pyrexia cases by 2-fold or more during October and November. The present study is the first report of co-infection of scrub typhus with leptospirosis from Northeast India. Medical officers in this region should take scrub typhus and leptospirosis in their differential diagnosis of patients with PUO for early diagnosis and effective treatment.

Mixed Methods Survey of Zoonotic Disease Awareness and Practice among Animal and Human Healthcare Providers in Moshi, Tanzania.

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Helen L Zhang

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Zoonoses are common causes of human and livestock illness in Tanzania. Previous studies have shown that brucellosis, leptospirosis, and Q fever account for a large proportion of human febrile illness in northern Tanzania, yet they are infrequently diagnosed. We conducted this study to assess awareness and knowledge regarding selected zoonoses among healthcare providers in Moshi, Tanzania; to determine what diagnostic and treatment protocols are utilized; and obtain insights into contextual factors contributing to the apparent under-diagnosis of zoonoses.We conducted a questionnaire about zoonoses knowledge, case reporting, and testing with 52 human health practitioners and 10 livestock health providers. Immediately following questionnaire administration, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 60 of these respondents, using the findings of a previous fever etiology study to prompt conversation. Sixty respondents (97% had heard of brucellosis, 26 (42% leptospirosis, and 20 (32% Q fever. Animal sector respondents reported seeing cases of animal brucellosis (4, rabies (4, and anthrax (3 in the previous 12 months. Human sector respondents reported cases of human brucellosis (15, 29%, rabies (9, 18% and anthrax (6, 12%. None reported leptospirosis or Q fever cases. Nineteen respondents were aware of a local diagnostic test for human brucellosis. Reports of tests for human leptospirosis or Q fever, or for any of the study pathogens in animals, were rare. Many respondents expressed awareness of malaria over-diagnosis and zoonoses under-diagnosis, and many identified low knowledge and testing capacity as reasons for zoonoses under-diagnosis.This study revealed differences in knowledge of different zoonoses and low case report frequencies of brucellosis, leptospirosis, and Q fever. There was a lack of known diagnostic services for leptospirosis and Q fever. These findings emphasize a need for improved diagnostic capacity alongside healthcare

Leptospirosis en la provincia de Cienfuegos

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Rubén Bembibre Taboada

2000-08-01

Full Text Available La leptospirosis es una enfermedad infecciosa que constituye un problema de salud no erradicado. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de la totalidad de los pacientes afectados por leptospirosis en el año 1998 en la provincia de Cienfuegos. Los datos primarios se obtuvieron del registro del Centro Provincial de Higiene y Epidemiología (CPHE procediéndose a la aplicación de encuesta para obtener datos de interés como: sexo, edad, municipio de residencia, ocupación, fuente de infección, vacunación previa, evolución, necesidad de ingreso, y seguimiento por el Médico de la Familia, teniendo como objetivo determinar el comportamiento de la entidad en el período estudiado y el rol del Médico de la Familia. Los datos fueron procesados por sistema EXCEL de Windows y los principales resultados se exponen en figuras diseñadas por Power Point. Se constató la disminución de la morbilidad por esta afección en la provincia respecto al año 1997 en 33,3 %, la letalidad fue de 0 y existió un predominio del sexo masculino con 40 casos, y del grupo etáreo de 25 a 44 años con el 70 %. La mayor incidencia correspondió al municipio Palmira. Ninguno de los enfermos había sido inmunizado con la vacuna cubana antileptospírica. Los ingresos domiciliarios se realizaron en el 77 % de los casos con evolución favorable, demostrándose la efectividad en la atención a nivel primario y el papel del Médico de la Familia tanto en la labor preventiva como curativa. La seroconversión y el aumento del título fueron las principales pruebas de confirmación de 45 y 41 % respectivamente, aún existen índices de roedores no despreciables en el territorio provincial. La labor del Médico y Enfermera de la Familia puede ser eficaz en el control de la leptospirosis con la minimización de sus perjudiciales consecuenciasLeptospirosis is an infectious disease and a health problem that has not been erradicated yet. A descriptive and retrospective study

Leptospirosis and Workplace Environmental Risk Factors among Cattle Farmers in Northeastern Malaysia

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Aziah binti Daud

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Leptospirosis is an emerging zoonosis and its occurrence has been reported to be rising globally. The environment plays an important role in the survival of Leptospira and determines the risk of infection. Those who were exposed to and had contact with contaminated environment through their occupational, recreational and other activities can be infected with the organism. Objective: To determine the seroprevalence of leptospirosis among cattle farmers, prevalence of pathogenic Leptospira, and the workplace environmental risk factors for leptospirosis among cattle farmers in northeastern Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 120 cattle farmers was conducted. The participants answered an interviewer-guided questionnaire that consisted of sociodemographic and workplace environment characteristics questionnaire, before having their blood sample taken for microscopic agglutination test (MAT. Seropositivity was determined using a cut-off titer of ≥1:100. 248 environmental samples were also collected from the cattle farms for polymerase chain reaction (PCR. Results: The overall seroprevalence of leptospiral antibodies was 72.5% (95% CI 63.5% to 80.1% and the prevalence of pathogenic Leptospira in the cattle farms environment was 12.1% (95% CI 8.4% to 17.0%. The independent factors associated with seropositivity of leptospirosis among cattle farmers were positive pathogenic Leptospira in the environment (Adj OR 5.90, 95% CI 1.34 to 26.01 and presence of garbage dumping in the farm (Adj OR 2.40, 95% CI 1.02 to 5.65. Conclusion: Preventing leptospirosis incidence among cattle farmers necessitates changes in work environment. Identifying modifiable factors may also contribute to the reduction of infection.

Clinical predictors of dengue fever co-infected with leptospirosis among patients admitted for dengue fever - a pilot study.

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Suppiah, Jeyanthi; Chan, Shie-Yien; Ng, Min-Wern; Khaw, Yam-Sim; Ching, Siew-Mooi; Mat-Nor, Lailatul Akmar; Ahmad-Najimudin, Naematul Ain; Chee, Hui-Yee

2017-06-28

Dengue and leptospirosis infections are currently two major endemics in Malaysia. Owing to the overlapping clinical symptoms between both the diseases, frequent misdiagnosis and confusion of treatment occurs. As a solution, the present work initiated a pilot study to investigate the incidence related to co-infection of leptospirosis among dengue patients. This enables the identification of more parameters to predict the occurrence of co-infection. Two hundred sixty eight serum specimens collected from patients that were diagnosed for dengue fever were confirmed for dengue virus serotyping by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Clinical, laboratory and demographic data were extracted from the hospital database to identify patients with confirmed leptospirosis infection among the dengue patients. Thus, frequency of co-infection was calculated and association of the dataset with dengue-leptospirosis co-infection was statistically determined. The frequency of dengue co-infection with leptospirosis was 4.1%. Male has higher preponderance of developing the co-infection and end result of shock as clinical symptom is more likely present among co-infected cases. It is also noteworthy that, DENV 1 is the common dengue serotype among all cases identified as dengue-leptospirosis co-infection in this study. The increasing incidence of leptospirosis among dengue infected patients has posed the need to precisely identify the presence of co-infection for the betterment of treatment without mistakenly ruling out either one of them. Thus, anticipating the possible clinical symptoms and laboratory results of dengue-leptospirosis co-infection is essential.

SEROLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR SURVEY OF Leptospira spp. AMONG CART HORSES FROM AN ENDEMIC AREA OF HUMAN LEPTOSPIROSIS IN CURITIBA, SOUTHERN BRAZIL

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Mariane Angélica Finger

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Cart horses are a re-emerging population employed to carry recyclable material in cities. Methods: Sixty-two horses were sampled in an endemic area of human leptospirosis. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT and real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR were performed. Results: A seropositivity of 75.8% with serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae in 80.8% of the horses was observed. Blood and urine were qPCR negative. MAT showed positive correlations with rainfall (p = 0.02 and flooding (p = 0.03. Conclusions: Although horses may be constantly exposed to Leptospira spp. in the environment mostly because of rainfall and flooding, no leptospiremia or leptospiruria were observed in this study.

Leptospirosis: an emerging global public health problem

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

PRAKASH KUMAR

jaundice with heamaturea, meningitis with haemorrhages including sub conjunctival haemorrhage or febrile illness with cardiac arrhythmias with or without haemorrhages are some of the syndromes. Because of the protean manifestations of leptospirosis it is often misdiagnosed and under-reported. Although the basic ...

Seroprevalence of Leptospira infection in bats roosting in human ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Leptospirosis is a neglected emerging infectious disease with high burden in Africa. Major reservoirs of leptospirosis are rodents and other small mammals. Studies of leptospirosis in bats and the extent to which they contribute to its transmission to humans and domestic animals in Tanzania are lacking. The objective of this ...

Severe Leptospirosis with Multiple Organ Failure Successfully Treated by Plasma Exchange and High-Volume Hemofiltration

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Vincent Bourquin

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Leptospirosis is a spirochetal zoonosis with complex clinical features including renal and liver failure. Case report. We report the case of a Swiss fisherman presenting with leptospirosis. After initial improvement, refractory septic shock and severe liver and kidney failure developed. The expected mortality was estimated at 90% with clinical scores. The patient underwent plasma exchanges and high-volume hemofiltration (HVHF with complete recovery of hepatic and kidney functions. Discussion. Plasma exchanges and HVHF may confer survival benefit on patients with severe leptospirosis, refractory septic shock, and multiple-organ failure.

Thrombocytopenia in leptospirosis and role of platelet transfusion

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Sharma Jayashree

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Aim : The study was designed to find out the incidence of thrombocytopenia in leptospirosis and to correlate thrombocytopenia with other parameters like renal failure, hepatic failure and bleeding manifestation like adult respiratory distress syndrome and to assess the role of platelet transfusion. Materials and Methods : 50 cases of leptospirosis during the month of July and August 2005 were retrospectively analyzed. Criteria for selection were Lepto Tek Dri - dot test positive cases of the clinically suspected cases of Leptospirosis. Degree of thrombocytopenia was categorized as severe, moderate and mild. Presence of thrombocytopenia was clinically correlated with parameters like renal dysfunction, hepatic dysfunction and hemorrhagic manifestations (mainly ARDS. Role of platelet transfusion was assessed with reference to presence and degree of thrombcytopenia and hemorrhagic manifestations. Results : Out of total 50 patients 26 were male and 24 were females. Major bleeding manifestation in the form of ARDS was seen in 15 (30% of patients. 28 (56% patients had thrombocytopenia and 22 (44% patients had normal platelet counts. Total number of patients with renal dysfunction was 24 (48%. Only four (18.18% patients with normal platelet counts had renal dysfunction while 20 (71.42% patients with thrombocytopenia had renal dysfunction. Only two (9.09% patients with normal platelet counts and 48 (46.42% patients with thrombocytopenia had hepatorenal dysfunction. Total number of patients with ARDS was 15 (30%. Of these two (13.33% had normal platelet count while 13 (86.6% patients were thrombocytopenic. Total 47 units of platelets were transfused to 12 patients in our study. Of these seven patients with severe thrombocytopenia required total 28 units, two patients with moderate thrombocytopenia required total seven units and patients with mild thrombocytopenia were transfused total 12 units of platelets. Conclusion : It is important to anticipate and

Prevalence of and risk factors for leptospirosis among dogs in the United States and Canada: 677 cases (1970-1998).

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Ward, Michael P; Glickman, Lawrence T; Guptill, Lynn E

2002-01-01

To determine whether there was a temporal trend in prevalence of leptospirosis among dogs in the United States and Canada and to determine whether age, sex, and breed were risk factors for the disease. Retrospective study. 1,819,792 dogs examined at 22 veterinary teaching hospitals between 1970 and 1998. The Veterinary Medical Data Base was searched for records of dogs in which a diagnosis of leptospirosis was made, and hospital prevalence was calculated. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between leptospirosis and age, sex, and breed. 677 dogs with leptospirosis were identified. Thus, hospital prevalence was 37 cases/100,000 dogs examined. A significant increase in leptospirosis prevalence between 1983 and 1998 was identified. Male dogs were at significantly greater risk of leptospirosis than were female dogs; dogs between 4 and 6.9 years old and between 7 and 10 years old were at significantly greater risk than dogs dogs, hounds, working dogs, and mixed-breed dogs were at significantly greater risk than companion dogs. The prevalence of leptospirosis among dogs examined at veterinary teaching hospitals in the United States and Canada has increased significantly since 1983. Male dogs of working and herding breeds were at greater risk.

Seroprevalance of leptospirosis in patients with fever visited Vaysian Health Center ,Khoramabad, summer 1385

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gholamreza Talei

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Talei GR1, Sheikhian A2,Mousavi Z3 1. Assistant professor, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of medicine, Lorestan University medical sciences 2. Assistant professor, Department of Immunology, Faculty of medicine, Lorestan University medical sciences 3. B.Sc of laboratory sciences, Lorestan University medical sciences Abstract Background: Leptospirosis is known to be an emerging infection and the most common zoonosiss of the world. The etiological agent of the disease is spirochetes, Leptospira interogans which infect more than 160 differ rent mammalian species including rodents, cattle, dogs and wild mammals. Clinical syndrome may vary from influenza – like syndrome with fever, headache and myalgia to sever Weils syndrome with jaundice, renal dysfunction and hemorrhagic diathesis. Human infection occurs accidentally through contact with contaminated water or animal materials. There are reports of high prevalence of leptospirosis in rice farm workers, probably acquired during work in paddy. Also there was evidence of leptospirosis in the Lorestan province. In this study, serum IgG and IgM antibody response to leptospira was examined in adult patients who visited Vaysian Health Centre during Shahrivar and October 1384,during the season of paddies. work in slug in Materials and methods: About 8 patients visited the Health Center during the season who were examined for clinical symptoms and then a questionnaire was filled. About 5 ml of blood sample was taken, the serum was separated and freezed before being examined by ELISA thechnique.Serion Classic Leptospira IgG/IgM ELISA (Germany was used and the results were calculated according to the instruction. Results: From 80 patient who participated in this study, 39 (48.8% had IgG antibody to leptospira and 41 (51.2% were negative. From IgG positive patients,28 (35% were IgM positive and 11(65% were negative . Of the people who had antibody to leptospira 30 (76.92% were male and 9 (23.08% were

Seroepidemiology of leptospirosis among febrile patients in a rapidly growing suburban slum and a flood-vulnerable rural district in Mozambique, 2012â2014: Implications for the management of fever

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Policarpo Ribeiro; Nilesh Bhatt; Sádia Ali; Vanessa Monteiro; Edmilson da Silva; Ilana Teruszkin Balassiano; Carolina Aquino; Nilsa de Deus; Onelia Guiliche; Argentina Felisbela Muianga; Pascoal Jorge Alho; Virginia Lara Evaristo; Ivan Manhiça; Marco Medeiros; Eduardo Samo Gudo

2017-01-01

Objective: Leptospirosis is one of the most widespread zoonoses in the world and is caused by spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. In Mozambique, the disease is largely ignored and its epidemiology is unknown. The objective of this study was to investigate the occurrence of leptospirosis in febrile patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed between July 2012 and September 2015 among febrile patients. A total of 373 paired serum samples were drawn from febrile patients; 208 we...

Sero-epidemiology and hemato-biochemical study of bovine leptospirosis in flood affected zone of Pakistan.

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Ijaz, Muhammad; Abbas, Syed Nazar; Farooqi, Shahid Hussain; Aqib, Amjad Islam; Anwar, Ghulam Ali; Rehman, Abdul; Ali, Muhammad Muddassir; Mehmood, Khalid; Khan, Amjad

2018-01-01

The bovine leptospirosis is an economically important zoonotic disease of flood affected areas worldwide, but scarce information is available about its epidemiology in Pakistan. This is a first study on sero-epidemiology of bovine leptospirosis in Pakistan. The objectives of this study were to investigate the sero-prevalence and associated risk factors of bovine leptospirosis in flood affected zone of Punjab, Pakistan. A total of 385 serum samples were randomly collected from four tehsils of district Muzaffargarh, Pakistan. The serum samples were subjected to indirect ELISA for the detection of anti-leptospira antibodies. The overall sero-prevalence of leptospirosis was 30.39%. The prevalence was significantly higher (p0.05) difference among TLC values among sero-positive and sero-negative animals. The serum biochemical profile revealed significant differences (pPakistan, and the disease needs to be explored comprehensively in other parts of the country to sort out solid strategies for its control and eradication. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cyclical changes in seroprevalence of leptospirosis in California sea lions: endemic and epidemic disease in one host species?

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St Leger Judy

2007-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease infecting a broad range of mammalian hosts, and is re-emerging globally. California sea lions (Zalophus californianus have experienced recurrent outbreaks of leptospirosis since 1970, but it is unknown whether the pathogen persists in the sea lion population or is introduced repeatedly from external reservoirs. Methods We analyzed serum samples collected over an 11-year period from 1344 California sea lions that stranded alive on the California coast, using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT for antibodies to Leptospira interrogans serovar Pomona. We evaluated seroprevalence among yearlings as a measure of incidence in the population, and characterized antibody persistence times based on temporal changes in the distribution of titer scores. We conducted multinomial logistic regression to determine individual risk factors for seropositivity with high and low titers. Results The serosurvey revealed cyclical patterns in seroprevalence to L. interrogans serovar Pomona, with 4–5 year periodicity and peak seroprevalence above 50%. Seroprevalence in yearling sea lions was an accurate index of exposure among all age classses, and indicated on-going exposure to leptospires in non-outbreak years. Analysis of titer decay rates showed that some individuals probably maintain high titers for more than a year following exposure. Conclusion This study presents results of an unprecedented long-term serosurveillance program in marine mammals. Our results suggest that leptospirosis is endemic in California sea lions, but also causes periodic epidemics of acute disease. The findings call into question the classical dichotomy between maintenance hosts of leptospirosis, which experience chronic but largely asymptomatic infections, and accidental hosts, which suffer acute illness or death as a result of disease spillover from reservoir species.

Leptospira interrogans causes quantitative and morphological disturbances in adherens junctions and other biological groups of proteins in human endothelial cells

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Sato, Hiromi

2017-01-01

Pathogenic Leptospira transmits from animals to humans, causing the zoonotic life-threatening infection called leptospirosis. This infection is reported worldwide with higher risk in tropical regions. Symptoms of leptospirosis range from mild illness to severe illness such as liver damage, kidney failure, respiratory distress, meningitis, and fatal hemorrhagic disease. Invasive species of Leptospira rapidly disseminate to multiple tissues where this bacterium damages host endothelial cells, increasing vascular permeability. Despite the burden in humans and animals, the pathogenic mechanisms of Leptospira infection remain to be elucidated. The pathogenic leptospires adhere to endothelial cells and permeabilize endothelial barriers in vivo and in vitro. In this study, human endothelial cells were infected with the pathogenic L. interrogans serovar Copenhageni or the saprophyte L. biflexa serovar Patoc to investigate morphological changes and other distinctive phenotypes of host cell proteins by fluorescence microscopy. Among those analyzed, 17 proteins from five biological classes demonstrated distinctive phenotypes in morphology and/or signal intensity upon infection with Leptospira. The affected biological groups include: 1) extracellular matrix, 2) intercellular adhesion molecules and cell surface receptors, 3) intracellular proteins, 4) cell-cell junction proteins, and 5) a cytoskeletal protein. Infection with the pathogenic strain most profoundly disturbed the biological structures of adherens junctions (VE-cadherin and catenins) and actin filaments. Our data illuminate morphological disruptions and reduced signals of cell-cell junction proteins and filamentous actin in L. interrogans-infected endothelial cells. In addition, Leptospira infection, regardless of pathogenic status, influenced other host proteins belonging to multiple biological classes. Our data suggest that this zoonotic agent may damage endothelial cells via multiple cascades or pathways

Leptospira interrogans causes quantitative and morphological disturbances in adherens junctions and other biological groups of proteins in human endothelial cells.

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Sato, Hiromi; Coburn, Jenifer

2017-07-01

Pathogenic Leptospira transmits from animals to humans, causing the zoonotic life-threatening infection called leptospirosis. This infection is reported worldwide with higher risk in tropical regions. Symptoms of leptospirosis range from mild illness to severe illness such as liver damage, kidney failure, respiratory distress, meningitis, and fatal hemorrhagic disease. Invasive species of Leptospira rapidly disseminate to multiple tissues where this bacterium damages host endothelial cells, increasing vascular permeability. Despite the burden in humans and animals, the pathogenic mechanisms of Leptospira infection remain to be elucidated. The pathogenic leptospires adhere to endothelial cells and permeabilize endothelial barriers in vivo and in vitro. In this study, human endothelial cells were infected with the pathogenic L. interrogans serovar Copenhageni or the saprophyte L. biflexa serovar Patoc to investigate morphological changes and other distinctive phenotypes of host cell proteins by fluorescence microscopy. Among those analyzed, 17 proteins from five biological classes demonstrated distinctive phenotypes in morphology and/or signal intensity upon infection with Leptospira. The affected biological groups include: 1) extracellular matrix, 2) intercellular adhesion molecules and cell surface receptors, 3) intracellular proteins, 4) cell-cell junction proteins, and 5) a cytoskeletal protein. Infection with the pathogenic strain most profoundly disturbed the biological structures of adherens junctions (VE-cadherin and catenins) and actin filaments. Our data illuminate morphological disruptions and reduced signals of cell-cell junction proteins and filamentous actin in L. interrogans-infected endothelial cells. In addition, Leptospira infection, regardless of pathogenic status, influenced other host proteins belonging to multiple biological classes. Our data suggest that this zoonotic agent may damage endothelial cells via multiple cascades or pathways

Leptospira interrogans causes quantitative and morphological disturbances in adherens junctions and other biological groups of proteins in human endothelial cells.

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Hiromi Sato

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Pathogenic Leptospira transmits from animals to humans, causing the zoonotic life-threatening infection called leptospirosis. This infection is reported worldwide with higher risk in tropical regions. Symptoms of leptospirosis range from mild illness to severe illness such as liver damage, kidney failure, respiratory distress, meningitis, and fatal hemorrhagic disease. Invasive species of Leptospira rapidly disseminate to multiple tissues where this bacterium damages host endothelial cells, increasing vascular permeability. Despite the burden in humans and animals, the pathogenic mechanisms of Leptospira infection remain to be elucidated. The pathogenic leptospires adhere to endothelial cells and permeabilize endothelial barriers in vivo and in vitro. In this study, human endothelial cells were infected with the pathogenic L. interrogans serovar Copenhageni or the saprophyte L. biflexa serovar Patoc to investigate morphological changes and other distinctive phenotypes of host cell proteins by fluorescence microscopy. Among those analyzed, 17 proteins from five biological classes demonstrated distinctive phenotypes in morphology and/or signal intensity upon infection with Leptospira. The affected biological groups include: 1 extracellular matrix, 2 intercellular adhesion molecules and cell surface receptors, 3 intracellular proteins, 4 cell-cell junction proteins, and 5 a cytoskeletal protein. Infection with the pathogenic strain most profoundly disturbed the biological structures of adherens junctions (VE-cadherin and catenins and actin filaments. Our data illuminate morphological disruptions and reduced signals of cell-cell junction proteins and filamentous actin in L. interrogans-infected endothelial cells. In addition, Leptospira infection, regardless of pathogenic status, influenced other host proteins belonging to multiple biological classes. Our data suggest that this zoonotic agent may damage endothelial cells via multiple cascades or

Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure from Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Secondary to Leptospirosis

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Shannon M. Fernando

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS, characterized by hypoxemic respiratory failure, is associated with a mortality of 30–50% and is precipitated by both direct and indirect pulmonary insults. Treatment is largely supportive, consisting of lung protective ventilation and thereby necessitating Intensive Care Unit (ICU admission. The most common precipitant is community-acquired bacterial pneumonia, but other putative pathogens include viruses and fungi. On rare occasions, ARDS can be secondary to tropical disease. Accordingly, a history should include travel to endemic regions. Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease most common in the tropics and typically associated with mild pulmonary complications. We describe a case of a 25-year-old male with undiagnosed leptospirosis, presenting with fever and severe hypoxemic respiratory failure, returning from a Costa Rican holiday. There was no other organ failure. He was intubated and received lung protective ventilation. His condition improved after ampicillin and penicillin G were added empirically. This case illustrates the rare complication of ARDS from leptospirosis, the importance of taking a travel history, and the need for empiric therapy because of diagnostic delay.

FLOWCYTOMETRY IN LEPTOSPIROSIS

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Galya I. Gancheva

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Differential count of leucocytes and six lymphocyte populations and subpopulations were investigated by flow cytometry in fourteen cases with leptospirosis. Marked granulocytosis and lymphopenia were found in 100%. The percentage of the monocytes was significantly decreased (mean 6,65%; 0,7 to 14,0%; sd 5,49. Immunophenotypization of lymphocyte populations and subpopulations by flow cytometry was revealed prevalent tendencies for decreasing of the number of total T-lymphocytes, T-helpers, T-suppressors, T-helpers/T-suppressors index; increasing of the number of the activated T-lymphocytes, subpopulation of NK cells (CD3-/ CD16+56+, and B-lymphocyte. These data are suggested that cell-mediated immunity plays a role in later stages of the diseases.

Leptospirosis in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review

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de Vries, Sophia G.; Visser, Benjamin J.; Nagel, Ingeborg M.; Goris, Marga G. A.; Hartskeerl, Rudy A.; Grobusch, Martin P.

2014-01-01

Leptospirosis is an emerging zoonotic infection worldwide, possibly due to climate change and demographic shifts. It is regarded as endemic in Sub-Saharan Africa; however, for most countries scarce epidemiological data, if any, exist. The primary objectives were to describe the prevalence of

Are Pathogenic Leptospira Species Agents of Community-Acquired Pneumonia? Case Reports of Leptospirosis Presenting as Pneumonia

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Gasem, M. Hussein; Farida, Helmia; Ahmed, Ahmed; Severin, Juliţte A.; Suryanto, Agus; Isbandrio, Bambang; Verbrugh, Henri A.; Hartskeerl, Rudy A.; van den Broek, Peterhans J.

2016-01-01

We report four Indonesian cases meeting the clinical and radiological criteria for community-acquired pneumonia and other findings suggestive of leptospirosis. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) analyses of serum and urine samples and serology confirmed the diagnosis of leptospirosis in each. Results of qPCR

Spectrum of Radiological Findings in Leptospirosis on Chest Radiograph and Ultrasonography-Study during Epidemics in South Gujarat Region of India

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Mona Shastri

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Leptospirosis is an acute generalised infectious disease caused by any of the group of spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. The disease can involve many organs mainly liver, central nervous system, kidneys, skeletal muscle, and lungs. Diagnosis can be done on the basis of epidemiological, clinical and laboratory features. As the disease has varied manifestations, it is frequently misdiagnosed even in areas of high prevalence. A delay in diagnosis can leads to severe form of disease and development of its complications. Aim: To find out involvement of thoracic and abdominal organs in each and every patient with the help of chest radiographs and Ultrasonography (USG of abdomen and thorax. Also, to put together the radiological spectrum of pulmonary manifestations, and other system involvement in leptospirosis during epidemics in south Gujarat region and their role in early diagnosis and follow up of patients. Materials and Methods: Study was carried out for 3 years. Total 380 patients of suspected leptospirosis were referred during epidemic during months of July to October in year 2008, 2009 and 2010 for confirmation of diagnosis and management. Total 275 patients were confirmed for leptospirosis by serological test (ELISA during first and second week of illness which was included in our study. All 275 patients were evaluated with chest radiographs and ultrasound of chest and abdomen. Those patients which are clinically suspected for leptospirosis but were serologically negative were excluded. Results: Out of 275 confirmed patients of leptospirosis, 54 patients had signs of pulmonary haemorrhage on chest radiograph (19.65%. Out of these 54 patients 50 (which accounts 92% of pulmonary hemorrhage patients and 18% of total 275 patients died due to severe pulmonary haemorrhage and respiratory distress. Pleural effusion was diagnosed on X-ray chest in 10 patients but it was found in 68 patients on USG. Signs of acute renal disease were

Social cost of leptospirosis cases attributed to the 2011 disaster striking Nova Friburgo, Brazil.

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Pereira, Carlos; Barata, Martha; Trigo, Aline

2014-04-15

The aim of this study was to estimate the social cost of the leptospirosis cases that were attributed to the natural disaster of January 2011 in Nova Friburgo (State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) through a partial economic assessment. This study utilized secondary data supplied by the Municipal Health Foundation of Nova Friburgo. Income scenarios based on the national and state minimum wages and on average income of the local population were employed. The total social cost of leptospirosis cases attributed to the 2011 disaster may range between US$21,500 and US$66,000 for the lower income scenario and between US$23,900 and US$100,800 for that of higher income. Empirical therapy represented a total avoided cost of US$14,800, in addition to a reduction in lethality. An estimated 31 deaths were avoided among confirmed cases of the disease, and no deaths resulted from the leptospirosis cases attributed to the natural disaster. There has been a significant post-disaster rise in leptospirosis incidence in the municipality, which illustrates the potential for increased cases--and hence costs--of this illness following natural disasters, which justifies the adoption of preventive measures in environmental health.

SEROPOSITIVITY TO LEPTOSPIROSIS IN DOMESTIC RESERVOIRS AND DETECTION OF Leptospira spp. IN WATER SOURCES, IN FARMS OF YUCATAN, MEXICO.

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Maria Fidelia Cardenas-Marrufo

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is a zoonotic infectious disease with a worldwide distribution. WHO classifies this disease as reemergent and it represents risk to human health with economical repercussion to animal reproduction. Leptospirosis occurs with higher frequency in countries with tropical weather. A transversal study was conducted to determine the frequency of infection of L. interrogans in 476 reservoir animals -212 bovines, 203 pigs, and 61 dogs in 34 animal production units. Positivity frequency the reservoirs was 30.5%. 31 out of 34 animal units had positive reservoirs. The most frequent serovars were tarassovi (53.6%, and hardjo (31.6% in cattle; bratislava (66% and icterohaemorragiae (18.7% in pigs; and canicola (79.8% and icterohaemorragiae (9.8% in dogs. 68 pools of water samples from water tanks were analyzed by DNA amplification of a 16S rRNA fragment for L. interrogans detection using Lepat1-Lepat2 primers. It is recommended to use preventive measures such as vaccination to domestic animals to reduce the risk of transmission to the human population.

Brotes de leptospirosis humana en la provincia de Ciego de Ávila, Cuba Human leptospirosis outbreak in the district of Ciego de Ávila, Cuba

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Miguel Suárez Hernández

1999-02-01

Full Text Available Se analizan los brotes de leptospirosis ocurridos en la provincia de Ciego de Ávila en el periodo de 1980 a 1995. En la etapa se notifican 40 brotes. Las actividades principales vinculadas a los mismos fueron la atención al cultivo de la caña de azúcar, al cultivo del plátano, el baño en río y las inundaciones. Se nota un incremento de brotes a partir del mes de junio. En los meses de octubre y noviembre se reportan las mayores incidencias. Los grupos de edades que más casos aportaron fueron de 10-14 años, 15-19 años y 30-34 años. El sexo más afectado fue el masculino. Los grupos más afectados fueron los estudiantes, pobladores urbanos y trabajadores agrícolas cañeros. De los 40 brotes, 21 fueron confirmados por medio de la prueba de microaglutinación y 19 por la prueba hemolitica, siendo los serogrupos más frecuentes Pomona y Australis.Forty leptospirosis outbreaks occurred in Ciego de Avila province from 1980 to 1995. The main events involved in the outbreaks were floods, bathing in rivers and activities related to sugar cane and banana cultivation. The number of cases increased after June, with higher incidences reported in October and November. The most affected age groups were 10-14 years, 15-19 years and 30-34 years. Men were more affected than women. Students, people residing in the urban zone and farmers were the most affected groups. A total of 21 outbreaks out of 40 were confirmed by the microagglutination test and the remaining 19 by the hemolytic test. Pomona and Australis were the serogroups most frequently detected by microagglutination.

Evaluación de la prueba de inmunofluorescencia indirecta para el diagnóstico de leptospirosis humana.

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Piedad Agudelo Flórez

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Introducción. El diagnóstico de la leptospirosis es difícil debido al amplio espectro de síntomas clínicos que presenta. Varias pruebas diagnósticas serológicas se han desarrollado, pero su aplicación y utilidad en Colombia no han sido determinadas. Objetivos. Evaluar la prueba de inmunofluorescencia indirecta para el diagnóstico de leptospirosis humana y determinar así los anticuerpos de las clases inmunoglobulina G y M producidos contra Leptospira. Materiales y métodos. Se establecieron tres grupos de estudio. El primero incluyó 19 muestras positivas para leptospirosis de pacientes con diagnóstico clínico y prueba de microaglutinación positiva; el segundo, 40 muestras de personas sin antecedentes de leptospirosis y con microaglutinación negativa, y el tercero con 96 muestras de pacientes con otras enfermedades diferentes a leptospirosis. Todas las muestras fueron procesadas por inmunofluorescencia indirecta. Resultados. Se determinó que la inmunofluorescencia indirecta tiene sensibilidad de 89,47%, especificidad de 100%, valor predictivo negativo de 95,2% (IC95%82,6 a 99,2 y valor predictivo positivo de 100%. En forma paralela, un estudio exploratorio en 27 muestras de suero que habían sido remitidas para diagnóstico de diferentes síndromes febriles encontró que 11% de ellas fueron positivas por inmunofluorescencia indirecta para anticuerpos IgM contra Leptospira. Conclusiones. La inmunofluorescencia indirecta es una alternativa que complementa el diagnóstico de leptospirosis y los estudios seroepidemiológicos. La presencia de anticuerpos dirigidos contra Leptospira en las muestras de síndrome febril del estudio indica que la leptospirosis es una de las causas de este síndrome que el clínico debe explorar.

Rapid, actionable diagnosis of urban epidemic leptospirosis using a pathogenic Leptospira lipL32-based real-time PCR assay.

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Riediger, Irina N; Stoddard, Robyn A; Ribeiro, Guilherme S; Nakatani, Sueli M; Moreira, Suzana D R; Skraba, Irene; Biondo, Alexander W; Reis, Mitermayer G; Hoffmaster, Alex R; Vinetz, Joseph M; Ko, Albert I; Wunder, Elsio A

2017-09-01

With a conservatively estimated 1 million cases of leptospirosis worldwide and a 5-10% fatality rate, the rapid diagnosis of leptospirosis leading to effective clinical and public health decision making is of high importance, and yet remains a challenge. Based on parallel, population-based studies in two leptospirosis-endemic regions in Brazil, a real-time PCR assay which detects lipL32, a gene specifically present in pathogenic Leptospira, was assessed for the diagnostic effectiveness and accuracy. Patients identified by active hospital-based surveillance in Salvador and Curitiba during large urban leptospirosis epidemics were tested. Real-time PCR reactions were performed with DNA-extracted samples obtained from 127 confirmed and 23 unconfirmed cases suspected of leptospirosis, 122 patients with an acute febrile illness other than leptospirosis, and 60 healthy blood donors. The PCR assay had a limit of detection of 280 Leptospira genomic equivalents/mL. Sensitivity for confirmed cases was 61% for whole blood and 29% for serum samples. Sensitivity was higher (86%) for samples collected within the first 6 days after onset of illness compared to those collected after 7 days (34%). The real-time PCR assay was able to detect leptospiral DNA in blood from 56% of serological non-confirmed cases. The overall specificity of the assay was 99%. These findings indicate that real-time PCR may be a reliable tool for early diagnosis of leptospirosis, which is decisive for clinical management of severe and life-threatening cases and for public health decision making.

Surveillance for leptospirosis in the Americas, 1996-2005: a review of data from ministries of health Vigilancia de la leptospirosis en la Región de las Américas, de 1996 al 2005: análisis de los datos de los ministerios de salud

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Federico Costa

2012-09-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To characterize current leptospirosis reporting practices in the Americas. METHODS: Information was collected from the official websites of national ministries of health from the Americas region and two international organizations; personal communications; and three international morbidity databases. For all sources other than the morbidity databases, the review was limited to official reports citing clinically suspected and laboratory confirmed leptospirosis cases or deaths during the period 1996-2005. RESULTS: A total of 73 out of 1 644 reports met the selection criteria and were included in the analysis. Published leptospirosis data were available from half of the countries/sovereign territories (24 out of 48, and 18 of them had mandatory notification policies for leptospirosis. The sum of the median number of leptospirosis cases notified annually by the 24 countries/territories was 4 713.5, but just three countries (Brazil, Costa Rica, and Cuba accounted for 83.1% (3 9cas20 es of the notifications. Eight (16.7% countries reported deaths due to leptospirosis. The sum of the median number of deaths reported annually for the eight countries was 380, but 349 (91.8% were reported by Brazil. CONCLUSIONS: Notification practices in the Americas for leptospirosis are limited. Therefore, the numbers of cases and deaths reported are not representative for the region. The lack of leptospirosis data for many countries/territories may reflect weaknesses in certain aspects of national surveillance systems, including mandatory reporting policies, clinical laboratory infrastructure for performing case confirmation, and capacity to collect reported cases. Improved surveillance of leptospirosis cases and deaths in the Americas is needed to allow monitoring of regional epidemiological patterns and to estimate the burden of this important disease.OBJETIVO: Determinar los procedimientos actuales de notificación de la leptospirosis en la Región de las

Leptospirosis acquired by tourists in Venice, Italy.

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Lagi, Filippo; Corti, Giampaolo; Meli, Massimo; Pinto, Antonella; Bartoloni, Alessandro

2013-01-01

We present the case of two Australian tourists aged 25 and 26  years who, after immersion in a canal in Venice, developed severe leptospirosis. After a 1-week history of fever, headache, myalgia, and vomiting they developed jaundice and renal failure. Complete remission was achieved by antibiotic therapy and hemodialysis. © 2012 International Society of Travel Medicine.

Evaluation of surveillance case definition in the diagnosis of leptospirosis, using the Microscopic Agglutination Test: a validation study.

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Dassanayake, Dinesh L B; Wimalaratna, Harith; Agampodi, Suneth B; Liyanapathirana, Veranja C; Piyarathna, Thibbotumunuwe A C L; Goonapienuwala, Bimba L

2009-04-22

Leptospirosis is endemic in both urban and rural areas of Sri Lanka and there had been many out breaks in the recent past. This study was aimed at validating the leptospirosis surveillance case definition, using the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT). The study population consisted of patients with undiagnosed acute febrile illness who were admitted to the medical wards of the Teaching Hospital Kandy, from 1st July 2007 to 31st July 2008. The subjects were screened to diagnose leptospirosis according to the leptospirosis case definition. MAT was performed on blood samples taken from each patient on the 7th day of fever. Leptospirosis case definition was evaluated in regard to sensitivity, specificity and predictive values, using a MAT titre >or= 1:800 for confirming leptospirosis. A total of 123 patients were initially recruited of which 73 had clinical features compatible with the surveillance case definition. Out of the 73 only 57 had a positive MAT result (true positives) leaving 16 as false positives. Out of the 50 who didn't have clinical features compatible with the case definition 45 had a negative MAT as well (true negatives), therefore 5 were false negatives. Total number of MAT positives was 62 out of 123. According to these results the test sensitivity was 91.94%, specificity 73.77%, positive predictive value and negative predictive values were 78.08% and 90% respectively. Diagnostic accuracy of the test was 82.93%. This study confirms that the surveillance case definition has a very high sensitivity and negative predictive value with an average specificity in diagnosing leptospirosis, based on a MAT titre of >or= 1: 800.

Carriage of Leptospira interrogans among domestic rats from an urban setting highly endemic for leptospirosis in Brazil

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Faria, Marcos Tucunduva; Calderwood, Michael S.; Athanazio, Daniel A.; McBride, Alan J. A.; Hartskeerl, Rudy A.; Pereira, Martha Maria; Ko, Albert I.; Reis, Mitermayer G.

2008-01-01

A survey was conducted to identify reservoirs for urban leptospirosis in the city of Salvador, Brazil. Sampling protocols were performed in the vicinity of households of severe leptospirosis cases identified during active hospital-based surveillance. Among a total of 142 captured Rattus norvegicus

Rapid, actionable diagnosis of urban epidemic leptospirosis using a pathogenic Leptospira lipL32-based real-time PCR assay.

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Irina N Riediger

2017-09-01

Full Text Available With a conservatively estimated 1 million cases of leptospirosis worldwide and a 5-10% fatality rate, the rapid diagnosis of leptospirosis leading to effective clinical and public health decision making is of high importance, and yet remains a challenge.Based on parallel, population-based studies in two leptospirosis-endemic regions in Brazil, a real-time PCR assay which detects lipL32, a gene specifically present in pathogenic Leptospira, was assessed for the diagnostic effectiveness and accuracy. Patients identified by active hospital-based surveillance in Salvador and Curitiba during large urban leptospirosis epidemics were tested. Real-time PCR reactions were performed with DNA-extracted samples obtained from 127 confirmed and 23 unconfirmed cases suspected of leptospirosis, 122 patients with an acute febrile illness other than leptospirosis, and 60 healthy blood donors.The PCR assay had a limit of detection of 280 Leptospira genomic equivalents/mL. Sensitivity for confirmed cases was 61% for whole blood and 29% for serum samples. Sensitivity was higher (86% for samples collected within the first 6 days after onset of illness compared to those collected after 7 days (34%. The real-time PCR assay was able to detect leptospiral DNA in blood from 56% of serological non-confirmed cases. The overall specificity of the assay was 99%.These findings indicate that real-time PCR may be a reliable tool for early diagnosis of leptospirosis, which is decisive for clinical management of severe and life-threatening cases and for public health decision making.

A road map for leptospirosis research and health policies based on country needs in Latin America.

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Pereira, Martha Maria; Schneider, Maria Cristina; Munoz-Zanzi, Claudia; Costa, Federico; Benschop, Jackie; Hartskeerl, Rudy; Martinez, Julio; Jancloes, Michel; Bertherat, Eric

2018-02-19

This report summarizes the presentations, discussions and the recommendations coming from the Oswaldo Cruz Institute/FIOCRUZ International Workshop for Leptospirosis Research Based on Country Needs and the 5th Global Leptospirosis Environmental Action Network meeting, which was held in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 10-12 November 2015. The event focused on health policy and worked to develop a road map as a consensus document to help guide decision-making by policymakers, funding bodies, and health care professionals. The direction that leptospirosis research should take in the coming years was emphasized, taking into account the needs of countries of Latin America, as well as experiences from other world regions, as provided by international experts. The operational concepts of "One Health" and translational research underlaid the discussions and the resulting recommendations. Despite the wide geographic distribution of leptospirosis and its impact in terms of incidence, morbidity, and mortality, leptospirosis is not yet considered a "tool-ready" disease for global initiatives. Surveillance programs need new tools and strategies for early detection, prevention, and follow-up. The major recommendations developed at the Rio meeting cover both health policy and research. The health policy recommendations should be taken into account by decisionmakers, government officials, and the Pan American Health Organization. The priorities for research, technological development, and innovation should be considered by research institutions, universities, and stakeholders.

A case–control study of epidemiological factors associated with leptospirosis in South Gujarat region

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K T Desai

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The current study was planned to identify the epidemiological factors associated with leptospirosis in South Gujarat region using neighborhood controls. Methods: A total of 100 cases of leptospirosis occurred in South Gujarat region during the year 2012 were selected using simple random sampling. Three neighbors of the selected cases formed the controls (n = 300. A pretested structured questionnaire was used for data collection and data were analyzed using Epi Info 2007. Results: There was significant association of illiteracy (odds ratio [OR] =1.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] =1.14–2.89, working in waterlogged fields during the reference season (OR = 4.6, 95% CI = 1.6–17.9, swimming/bathing in canals, open air defecation practices, storage of cow dung in or surrounding house, residence in the house made up of cow dung walls, households with access of food to rodents, injuries over hands/foot during the endemic season (OR = 3, 95% CI = 1.8–4.8, and history of skin disease during the endemic season (OR = 4.2, 95% CI = 2–8.5, with leptospirosis. Only 10% of individuals had gumboots for protection. A total of 83 (83% cases and 240 (80% controls had taken oral doxycycline chemoprophylaxis (P > 0.05. Cases had taken chemoprophylaxis for a median 4 weeks (range: 1–8 while controls had taken the same for median 8 weeks (range = 1–8 (P < 0.002. Conclusions: Although the commonly established factors appear to be associated with leptospirosis, the role of host factors seems to play a more important role in determining susceptibility to leptospirosis in exposed individuals.

Social Cost of Leptospirosis Cases Attributed to the 2011 Disaster Striking Nova Friburgo, Brazil

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Carlos Pereira

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to estimate the social cost of the leptospirosis cases that were attributed to the natural disaster of January 2011 in Nova Friburgo (State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil through a partial economic assessment. This study utilized secondary data supplied by the Municipal Health Foundation of Nova Friburgo. Income scenarios based on the national and state minimum wages and on average income of the local population were employed. The total social cost of leptospirosis cases attributed to the 2011 disaster may range between US$21,500 and US$66,000 for the lower income scenario and between US$23,900 and US$100,800 for that of higher income. Empirical therapy represented a total avoided cost of US$14,800, in addition to a reduction in lethality. An estimated 31 deaths were avoided among confirmed cases of the disease, and no deaths resulted from the leptospirosis cases attributed to the natural disaster. There has been a significant post-disaster rise in leptospirosis incidence in the municipality, which illustrates the potential for increased cases—and hence costs—of this illness following natural disasters, which justifies the adoption of preventive measures in environmental health.

Leptospirosis in American Samoa 2010: epidemiology, environmental drivers, and the management of emergence.

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Lau, Colleen L; Dobson, Annette J; Smythe, Lee D; Fearnley, Emily J; Skelly, Chris; Clements, Archie C A; Craig, Scott B; Fuimaono, Saipale D; Weinstein, Philip

2012-02-01

Leptospirosis has recently been reported as an emerging disease worldwide, and a seroprevalence study was undertaken in American Samoa to better understand the drivers of transmission. Antibodies indicative of previous exposure to leptospirosis were found in 15.5% of 807 participants, predominantly against three serovars that were not previously known to occur in American Samoa. Questionnaires and geographic information systems data were used to assess behavioral factors and environmental determinants of disease transmission, and logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with infection. Many statistically significant factors were consistent with previous studies, but we also showed a significant association with living at lower altitudes (odds ratio [OR] = 1.53, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-2.28), and having higher numbers of piggeries around the home (OR = 2.63, 95% CI: 1.52-4.40). Our findings support a multifaceted approach to combating the emergence of leptospirosis, including modification of individual behavior, but importantly also managing the evolving environmental drivers of risk.

How Important Are Rats As Vectors of Leptospirosis in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam?

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Loan, Hoang Kim; Van Cuong, Nguyen; Takhampunya, Ratree; Kiet, Bach Tuan; Campbell, James; Them, Lac Ngoc; Bryant, Juliet E.; Tippayachai, Bousaraporn; Van Hoang, Nguyen; Morand, Serge; Hien, Vo Be

2015-01-01

Abstract Leptospirosis is a zoonosis known to be endemic in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, even though clinical reports are uncommon. We investigated leptospira infection in rats purchased in food markets during the rainy season (October) (n=150), as well as those trapped during the dry season (February–March) (n=125) in the region using RT-PCR for the lipL32 gene, confirmed by 16S rRNA, as well as by the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Results were compared with the serovar distribution of human cases referred from Ho Chi Minh City hospitals (2004–2012) confirmed by MAT (n=45). The MAT seroprevalence among rats was 18.3%. The highest MAT seroprevalence corresponded, in decreasing order, to: Rattus norvegicus (33.0%), Bandicota indica (26.5%), Rattus tanezumi (24.6%), Rattus exulans (14.3%), and Rattus argentiventer (7.1%). The most prevalent serovars were, in descending order: Javanica (4.6% rats), Lousiana (4.2%), Copenageni (4.2%), Cynopterie (3.7%), Pomona (2.9%), and Icterohaemorrhagiae (2.5%). A total of 16 rats (5.8%) tested positive by RT-PCR. Overall, larger rats tended to have a higher prevalence of detection. There was considerable agreement between MAT and PCR (kappa=0.28 [0.07–0.49]), although significantly more rats were positive by MAT (McNemar 29.9 (pgeographically linked co-sampling of humans and animals to establish the main sources of leptospirosis in the region. PMID:25629781

Seroprevalence of Brucellosis, Leptospirosis, and Q Fever among Butchers and Slaughterhouse Workers in South-Eastern Iran.

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Esmaeili, Saber; Naddaf, Saied Reza; Pourhossein, Behzad; Hashemi Shahraki, Abdolrazagh; Bagheri Amiri, Fahimeh; Gouya, Mohammad Mehdi; Mostafavi, Ehsan

2016-01-01

Zoonotic diseases can be occupational hazards to people who work in close contact with animals or their carcasses. In this cross-sectional study, 190 sera were collected from butchers and slaughterhouse workers in different regions of the Sistan va Baluchestan province, in Iran in 2011. A questionnaire was filled for each participant to document personal and behavioural information. The sera were tested for detection of specific IgG antibodies against brucellosis, leptospirosis, and Q fever (phase I and II) using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). The seroprevalence of brucellosis was 7.9%, leptospirosis 23.4%, and phase I and II of Q fever were 18.1% and 14.4%, respectively. The seroprevalence of Q fever and leptospirosis, but not brucellosis, varied among regions within the province (p = 0.01). Additionally, a significant relationship was found between seropositivity of Q fever and camel slaughtering (p = 0.04). Reduced seropositivity rate of brucellosis was associated with use of personal protective equipment (PPE) (p = 0.004). This study shows that brucellosis, leptospirosis and Q fever occur among butchers and slaughterhouse workers in this area.

Comparison of the Estimated Incidence of Acute Leptospirosis in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania between 2007-08 and 2012-14.

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Michael J Maze

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The sole report of annual leptospirosis incidence in continental Africa of 75-102 cases per 100,000 population is from a study performed in August 2007 through September 2008 in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania. To evaluate the stability of this estimate over time, we estimated the incidence of acute leptospirosis in Kilimanjaro Region, northern Tanzania for the time period 2012-2014.Leptospirosis cases were identified among febrile patients at two sentinel hospitals in the Kilimanjaro Region. Leptospirosis was diagnosed by serum microscopic agglutination testing using a panel of 20 Leptospira serovars belonging to 17 separate serogroups. Serum was taken at enrolment and patients were asked to return 4-6 weeks later to provide convalescent serum. Confirmed cases required a 4-fold rise in titre and probable cases required a single titre of ≥800. Findings from a healthcare utilisation survey were used to estimate multipliers to adjust for cases not seen at sentinel hospitals. We identified 19 (1.7% confirmed or probable cases among 1,115 patients who presented with a febrile illness. Of cases, the predominant reactive serogroups were Australis 8 (42.1%, Sejroe 3 (15.8%, Grippotyphosa 2 (10.5%, Icterohaemorrhagiae 2 (10.5%, Pyrogenes 2 (10.5%, Djasiman 1 (5.3%, Tarassovi 1 (5.3%. We estimated that the annual incidence of leptospirosis was 11-18 cases per 100,000 population. This was a significantly lower incidence than 2007-08 (p<0.001.We estimated a much lower incidence of acute leptospirosis than previously, with a notable absence of cases due to the previously predominant serogroup Mini. Our findings indicate a dynamic epidemiology of leptospirosis in this area and highlight the value of multi-year surveillance to understand leptospirosis epidemiology.

[Generalized metastatic intestinal and cutaneous calcinosis in a Hovawart puppy with leptospirosis].

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Michel, E; Kook, P H; Voss, K; Boretti, F; Reichler, I M

2011-01-01

A 10-week old male Hovawart presented with acute renal failure. Based on clinical symptoms, blood analysis results and serology, a diagnosis of leptospirosis was made. Besides being acotemic, the puppy was initially also severely hypercalcemic. The dog was treated successfully, but developed widespread cutaneous and visceral calcifications. Severe pyloric calcification resulted in functional pyloric obstruction, which was successfully treated by pyloromyotomy. All skin lesions were cured with topical therapy within a few weeks. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of generalized intestinal and cutaneous calcification associated with acute renal failure due to Leptospirosis.

A rare cause of fatal intracranial haemorrhage.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Neligan, A

2012-01-31

INTRODUCTION: We report the case of a 53-year-old farmer with a 5-day history of severe headache, photophobia and neck stiffness. Full blood count (platelets 173), coagulation screen were normal throughout. Liver function tests remained normal apart from an elevated gamma-GT (156). CT Brain was normal. CSF analysis showed a WCC of 454\\/mm(3) (60% lymphocytes), elevated CSF protein (1.42 g\\/l) and a normal CSF glucose. He was commenced on IV antibiotics and IV acyclivor and improved. On day 3 of admission, he complained of a sudden severe headache, became unresponsive (GCS 3\\/15). INVESTIGATIONS: CT Brain showed a massive left intraventricular haemorrhage. He died 4 days later. Subsequent serum serology for leptospirosis was positive. A repeat sample taken 4 days post-admission, showed a rising IgM indicating active leptospirosis. Detailed pathological examination confirmed intracerebral haemorrhage with normal cerebral vasculature. CONCLUSION: Leptospirosis is a rare cause of intracerebral haemorrhage even in the absence of coagulopathy.

Estudio transversal de leptospirosis y muerte fetal en Yucatán, México

OpenAIRE

María Fidelia Cárdenas-Marrufo; Ignacio Vado-Solis; Gaspar Fernando Peniche-Lara; Carlos Perez-Osorio; José Correa-Segura

2016-01-01

Introducción: Leptospirosis es una enfermedad zoonótica que afecta principalmente la población humana de bajos recursos. Infección aguda por leptospirosis durante el embarazo se ha asociado con aborto espontáneo y muerte fetal durante el primer trimestre del embarazo.Objetivo: Estimar la frecuencia de infección por Leptospira interrogans en mujeres con aborto espontáneo en el estado de Yucatán, México.Métodos: Se efectuó un estudio trasversal en 81 mujeres con aborto espontáneo. La prueba de ...

Coinfección brucelosis-leptospirosis, Urabá, Colombia: Reporte de caso

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Laura Jaramillo

Full Text Available Se presenta un caso clínico de una confección de leptospirosis-brucelosis, en la región del Urabá antioqueño, en un paciente masculino de 45 años de edad con factores de riesgo ocupacionales, quien consultó inicialmente por síndrome febril prolongado y síntomas generales poco específicos además de manifestaciones hemorrágicas, lo que sumado a estar en área endémica, hizo sospechar el diagnóstico de leptospirosis, por lo cual se ordenó tratamiento, además de pruebas de laboratorio específicas. Luego de 45 días, el paciente consulta nuevamente con síndrome febril y orquiepididimitis unilateral, documentándose por pruebas de laboratorio el diagnóstico de brucelosis y leptospirosis, recibiendo tratamiento triconjugado (doxiciclina, rifampicina y gentamicina con resolución de los síntomas. Este caso de coinfección obliga a tener presente la posibilidad de infecciones simultáneas en pacientes con síndromes febriles procedentes de áreas endémicas para zoonosis, particularmente en los más comprometidos clínicamente.

Leptospiral outer membrane protein LipL41 is not essential for acute leptospirosis but requires a small chaperone protein, lep, for stable expression.

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King, Amy M; Bartpho, Thanatchaporn; Sermswan, Rasana W; Bulach, Dieter M; Eshghi, Azad; Picardeau, Mathieu; Adler, Ben; Murray, Gerald L

2013-08-01

Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp., but knowledge of leptospiral pathogenesis remains limited. However, the development of mutagenesis systems has allowed the investigation of putative virulence factors and their involvement in leptospirosis. LipL41 is the third most abundant lipoprotein found in the outer membranes of pathogenic leptospires and has been considered a putative virulence factor. LipL41 is encoded on the large chromosome 28 bp upstream of a small open reading frame encoding a hypothetical protein of unknown function. This gene was named lep, for LipL41 expression partner. In this study, lipL41 was found to be cotranscribed with lep. Two transposon mutants were characterized: a lipL41 mutant and a lep mutant. In the lep mutant, LipL41 protein levels were reduced by approximately 90%. Lep was shown through cross-linking and coexpression experiments to bind to LipL41. Lep is proposed to be a molecular chaperone essential for the stable expression of LipL41. The roles of LipL41 and Lep in the pathogenesis of Leptospira interrogans were investigated; surprisingly, neither of these two unique proteins was essential for acute leptospirosis.

Hemodiafiltration Decreases Serum Levels of Inflammatory Mediators in Severe Leptospirosis: A Prospective Study.

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Sérgio Aparecido Cleto

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is a health problem worldwide. Its most severe form is a classic model of sepsis, provoking acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS and acute kidney injury (AKI, with associated mortality that remains unacceptably high. We previously demonstrated that early initiation of sustained low-efficiency dialysis (SLED followed by daily SLED significantly decreases mortality. However, the mode of clearance can also affect dialysis patient outcomes. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare the effects of SLED with traditional (diffusive clearance, via hemodialysis, and SLED with convective clearance, via hemodiafiltration (SLEDf, in patients with severe leptospirosis.In this prospective study, conducted in the intensive care unit (ICU from 2009 through 2012, we compared two groups-SLED (n = 19 and SLEDf (n = 20-evaluating demographic, clinical, and biochemical parameters, as well as serum levels of interleukins, up to the third day after admission. All patients received dialysis early and daily thereafter.During the study period, 138 patients were admitted to our ICU with a diagnosis of leptospirosis; 39 (36 males/3 females met the criteria for ARDS and AKI. All patients were on mechanical ventilation and were comparable in terms of respiratory parameters. Mortality did not differ between the SLEDf and SLED groups. However, post-admission decreases in the serum levels of interleukin (IL-17, IL-7, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 were significantly greater in the SLEDf group. Direct bilirubin and the arterial oxygen tension/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio were significantly higher in the SLED group. We identified the following risk factors (sensitivities/specificities for mortality in severe leptospirosis: age ≥ 55 years (67%/91%; serum urea ≥ 204 mg/dl (100%/70%; creatinine ≥ 5.2 mg/dl (100%/58%; Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score ≥ 39.5 (67%/88%; Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score �

A propósito del artículo: Leptospirosis en el entorno actual

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Manuel de Jesús Morales Mayo

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Señor editor: Deseamos llamar la atención sobre el artículo “Leptospirosis en el entorno actual”, publicado en la revista Electrónica “Dr. Zoilo E. Marinello Vidaurreta” en el año 2014, volumen 39 (12, debido a que la leptospirosis continúa teniendo importante impacto en el ámbito social y laboral. La incidencia mundial de la leptospirosis todavía se desconoce, especialmente por el subregistro, las dificultades para el diagnóstico a consecuencia de las diversas formas de presentación, la confusión con otras enfermedades febriles o icterohemorrágicas, el uso de herramientas diagnósticas de distinta sensibilidad y especificidad y al desconocimiento de la entidad por parte del personal de salud. (1 La leptospirosis, hasta su identificación por Weil en 1886, era confundida dentro del grupo de las enfermedades febriles, productoras de ictericia. Los agentes causales de la leptospirosis, microorganismos del genero leptospira, son gérmenes filiformes de 6 a 15 micrómetros de longitud, espirales estrechos a todo lo largo de su cuerpo. La transmisión al hombre tiene lugar por contacto directo con la sangre, la orina, los tejidos y órganos infestados de los animales, o bien por exposición a un ambiente contaminado por leptospira. En las edades infanto-juveniles las manifestaciones clínicas están definidas por fiebre, cefalea, vómitos y diarrea. (2 Un tratamiento integral al paciente por parte de los Médicos de Familia, en el que se garantice el diagnóstico y tratamiento oportunos, resultan elementos esenciales para reducir la mortalidad por esta causa. Para ello es importante la calidad de la información recogida por el médico de asistencia, que el interrogatorio sea detallado, que incluya los aspectos epidemiológicos, junto con una exploración minuciosa al examen físico, lo que de forma sumatoria puede contribuir al diagnóstico. La indicación de estudios de laboratorio específicos en el momento oportuno permitir

Modeling seasonal leptospirosis transmission and its association with rainfall and temperature in Thailand using time-series and ARIMAX analyses.

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Chadsuthi, Sudarat; Modchang, Charin; Lenbury, Yongwimon; Iamsirithaworn, Sopon; Triampo, Wannapong

2012-07-01

To study the number of leptospirosis cases in relations to the seasonal pattern, and its association with climate factors. Time series analysis was used to study the time variations in the number of leptospirosis cases. The Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model was used in data curve fitting and predicting the next leptospirosis cases. We found that the amount of rainfall was correlated to leptospirosis cases in both regions of interest, namely the northern and northeastern region of Thailand, while the temperature played a role in the northeastern region only. The use of multivariate ARIMA (ARIMAX) model showed that factoring in rainfall (with an 8 months lag) yields the best model for the northern region while the model, which factors in rainfall (with a 10 months lag) and temperature (with an 8 months lag) was the best for the northeastern region. The models are able to show the trend in leptospirosis cases and closely fit the recorded data in both regions. The models can also be used to predict the next seasonal peak quite accurately. Copyright © 2012 Hainan Medical College. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Utilization of Exocellular Mannan from Rhodotorula glutinis as an Immunoreactive Antigen in Diagnosis of Leptospirosis

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuo, Kouki; Isogai, Emiko; Araki, Yoshio

2000-01-01

Previously, Rhodotorula glutinis was reported to produce a large amount of exocellular mannan, having a repeating unit of →3)-d-Manp-(1→4)-d-Manp-(1→. Recently, we found that antigenic polysaccharides of Leptospira biflexa serovar patoc strain Patoc I have the same repeating unit and cross-react with antisera raised against extended strains of other leptospires (K. Matsuo, E. Isogai, and Y. Araki, Carbohydr. Res., in press). This structural identity and the difficulty of producing and isolating antigens led us to confirm the usefulness of Rhodotorula mannan as an immunoreactive antigen in a serological diagnosis of leptospirosis. In the present investigation, we confirmed the structural identity of an exocellular mannan isolated from R. glutinis AHU 3479 and tried to use it as an immunoreactive antigen in a serological diagnosis of leptospirosis. From its chemical analysis and 1H- and 13C-labeled nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry, the Rhodotorula mannan was confirmed to consist of the same disaccharide units. Furthermore, such a preparation was shown to immunoreact to various sera from patients suffering with leptospirosis as well as to most rabbit antiserum preparations obtained from immunization with various strains of pathogenic leptospires. Therefore, the Rhodotorula mannan preparation is useful as an immunoreactive antigen in the serological diagnosis for leptospirosis. PMID:11015396

Seroprevalence of Brucellosis, Leptospirosis, and Q Fever among Butchers and Slaughterhouse Workers in South-Eastern Iran.

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Saber Esmaeili

Full Text Available Zoonotic diseases can be occupational hazards to people who work in close contact with animals or their carcasses. In this cross-sectional study, 190 sera were collected from butchers and slaughterhouse workers in different regions of the Sistan va Baluchestan province, in Iran in 2011. A questionnaire was filled for each participant to document personal and behavioural information. The sera were tested for detection of specific IgG antibodies against brucellosis, leptospirosis, and Q fever (phase I and II using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA. The seroprevalence of brucellosis was 7.9%, leptospirosis 23.4%, and phase I and II of Q fever were 18.1% and 14.4%, respectively. The seroprevalence of Q fever and leptospirosis, but not brucellosis, varied among regions within the province (p = 0.01. Additionally, a significant relationship was found between seropositivity of Q fever and camel slaughtering (p = 0.04. Reduced seropositivity rate of brucellosis was associated with use of personal protective equipment (PPE (p = 0.004. This study shows that brucellosis, leptospirosis and Q fever occur among butchers and slaughterhouse workers in this area.

Outbreak of leptospirosis among triathlon participants in Langau, Austria, 2010.

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Radl, Christoph; Müller, Maria; Revilla-Fernandez, Sandra; Karner-Zuser, Stefanie; de Martin, Alfred; Schauer, Ulrike; Karner, Franz; Stanek, Gerold; Balcke, Peter; Hallas, Andreas; Frank, Herbert; Fürnschlief, Albert; Erhart, Friedrich; Allerberger, Franz

2011-12-01

We report on the first documented outbreak of leptospirosis in Austria. In July 2010, four cases of serologically confirmed leptospirosis occurred in athletes after a triathlon held in Langau. Heavy rains preceded the triathlon (rainfall: 22 mm). The index case (Patient A) was a 41-year-old previously healthy male, who was admitted to hospital A on July 8 with a four-day history of fever up to 40°C that began 14 days after attending the triathlon event. On July 7, patient B, a 42-year-old male, was admitted to the same hospital, with signs and symptoms of kidney failure. Hemodialysis was performed every other day for 3 weeks. While the serum drawn on the day of admission was negative for antibodies against Leptospira, a specimen from July 28 tested positive with Leptospira interrogans. On July 11, patient C, a 40-year-old male, was admitted to hospital B for nephritis. On July 14, patient D, a 44-year-old male, was admitted to hospital C with a ten days history of intermittent fever, mild dry cough and headache. Our report underlines that in Austria recreational users of bodies of freshwater must be aware of an existing risk of contracting leptospirosis, particularly after heavy rains. The suppressive influence of a triathlon on the immune system is well documented and therefore an outbreak in this population group can be seen as a sensitive indicator concerning possible risk for the general population.

Leptospirosis-associated acute kidney injury: penicillin at the late stage is still controversial.

Science.gov (United States)

Daher, E F; Silva, G B; de Abreu, K L S; Mota, R M S; Batista, D V; Rocha, N A; Araújo, S M H A; Libório, A B

2012-08-01

Some antimicrobial agents are active in vitro against Leptospiras. The use of penicillins at the late stage of leptospirosis is still controversial. We aimed to evaluate the use of penicillin in patients with leptospirosis-associated acute kidney injury (AKI). A retrospective study was conducted of patients with leptospirosis admitted to two hospitals in Fortaleza city, Brazil, between 1985 and 2008. AKI was defined according to the RIFLE and AKIN classifications. Patients were divided in two groups according to whether they were treated with a penicillin or not. Two hundred and eighty-seven patients were included, with an average age of 36·8±15·6 years and mostly male (80·8%). One hundred and twelve patients (39%) received a penicillin. Patients treated with a penicillin were younger (32±14 years vs. 39±16 years, P=0·0002) and had a shorter hospital stay (8·4±5·0 vs. 11±7·7 days, Ppenicillin group (111±21 vs. 119±22 mmHg, P=0·04). AKI, need of dialysis and renal recovery at the time of hospital discharge were more frequent in patients who did not use a penicillin (Ppenicillin, remains controversial. The main benefit of using penicillin in the present study was a reduction in the length of hospital stay and fewer complications, such as AKI, but its use was not associated with a decrease in mortality. On balance of risks and benefits, we recommend the use of penicillin in late-stage leptospirosis. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Descripción de un brote de leptospirosis en la ciudad de Santa Fe, Argentina, marzo-abril de 1998 Description of a leptospirosis outbreak in the city of Santa Fe, Argentina, March-April 1998

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Norma B. Vanasco

2000-01-01

interrogans. As a screening test, macroscopic agglutination with heat-resistant antigen was applied, followed by the ELISA test, and, as a confirmatory test, microscopic agglutination for 10 serotypes of L. interrogans. The study covered 32 persons, 8 dogs, and 8 water samples. Among the 32 persons, 12 cases were confirmed, 2 were suspicious, and 18 were negative. Six dogs were found to be infected, and motile spirochetes were found in the water samples. The human sera reacted with the ballum, canicola, icterohaemorrhagiae, and pyrogenes serotypes; the canine sera reacted with the ballum, canicola, and pomona serotypes. The coagglutination found in all the confirmed cases indicates that they were acute cases of leptospirosis, but it was impossible to identify the causal serotype. Except for the index case, the disease was not recognized clinically. Several facts suggest that the outbreak was caused by rain that had flooded the study area. The results of this study emphasize the need for active surveillance of leptospirosis when there are floods and other natural disasters.

Validation of a case definition for leptospirosis diagnosis in patients with acute severe febrile disease admitted in reference hospitals at the State of Pernambuco, Brazil.

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Albuquerque Filho, Alfredo Pereira Leite de; Araújo, Jéssica Guido de; Souza, Inacelli Queiroz de; Martins, Luciana Cardoso; Oliveira, Marta Iglis de; Silva, Maria Jesuíta Bezerra da; Montarroyos, Ulisses Ramos; Miranda Filho, Demócrito de Barros

2011-01-01

Leptospirosis is often mistaken for other acute febrile illnesses because of its nonspecific presentation. Bacteriologic, serologic, and molecular methods have several limitations for early diagnosis: technical complexity, low availability, low sensitivity in early disease, or high cost. This study aimed to validate a case definition, based on simple clinical and laboratory tests, that is intended for bedside diagnosis of leptospirosis among hospitalized patients. Adult patients, admitted to two reference hospitals in Recife, Brazil, with a febrile illness of less than 21 days and with a clinical suspicion of leptospirosis, were included to test a case definition comprising ten clinical and laboratory criteria. Leptospirosis was confirmed or excluded by a composite reference standard (microscopic agglutination test, ELISA, and blood culture). Test properties were determined for each cutoff number of the criteria from the case definition. Ninety seven patients were included; 75 had confirmed leptospirosis and 22 did not. Mean number of criteria from the case definition that were fulfilled was 7.8±1.2 for confirmed leptospirosis and 5.9±1.5 for non-leptospirosis patients (pcase definition, for a cutoff of at least 7 criteria, reached average sensitivity and specificity, but with a high positive predictive value. Its simplicity and low cost make it useful for rapid bedside leptospirosis diagnosis in Brazilian hospitalized patients with acute severe febrile disease.

Human leptospirosis in Tanzania: sequencing and phylogenetic analysis confirm that pathogenic Leptospira species circulate among agro-pastoralists living in Katavi-Rukwa ecosystem.

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Muller, Shabani K; Assenga, Justine A; Matemba, Lucas E; Misinzo, Gerald; Kazwala, Rudovick R

2016-06-10

Leptospirosis is a neglected zoonotic disease of worldwide public health importance. The disease affects humans, domestic animals and wildlife. However, leptospirosis is challenging in its diagnosis in humans. Culture technique, which is time consuming, is not recommended for clinical diagnosis. For these reasons, serological and molecular techniques remain the test of choice. The major objective of this study was to explore the genetic characteristic of Leptospira species which are prevalent among agro-pastoralists living in Katavi-Rukwa Ecosystem, Tanzania. A cross-sectional epidemiological study was carried out in the Katavi-Region South-west, Tanzania between August, 2013 and November, 2014. A total of 267 participants were randomly recruited for the study. Microscopic agglutination test (MAT) was used to detect antibody against six Leptospira antigens including local serogroups Icterohaemorrhagiae, Ballum, Grippotyphosa, Sejroe and reference serogroups Hebdomadis, and Australis. Samples with MAT titers ≥ 1:160 were scored as positive, samples with MAT titers ranging from 1:20 to 1:80 were scored as exposed to Leptospira, and absence of agglutination titers was scored as negative. All MAT positive samples, including the low titre samples were subjected to PCR using the respective 16S rRNA primers for the pathogenic and non-pathogenic species. Out of 267 samples tested, 80 (29.9 %) were positive with MAT. The major circulating leptospiral serogroups were Sejroe (15.7 %,), Icterohaemorrhagiae (8.9 %), Grippotyphosa (4.8 %), Hebdomadis (3.37 %), Australis (1.49 %) and Ballum (1.19 %). By using PCR, 33 (15.7 %) out of 210 samples were pathogenic Leptospira while no saprophytic Leptospira spp. was detected. Partial 16S rRNA gene sequences of Leptospira species which were obtained from this study were submitted to GenBank and acquired accession numbers KP313246 and KP313247. Phylogenetic analysis of the nucleotide sequences revealed that species

Chronic kidney disease of uncertain etiology in Sri Lanka: Are leptospirosis and Hantaviral infection likely causes?

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Gamage, Chandika Damesh; Sarathkumara, Yomani Dilukshi

2016-06-01

Chronic kidney disease of uncertain etiology (CKDu) has been a severe burden and a public health crisis in Sri Lanka over the past two decades. Many studies have established hypotheses to identify potential risk factors although causative agents, risk factors and etiology of this disease are still uncertain. Several studies have postulated that fungal and bacterial nephrotoxins are a possible etiological factor; however, the precise link between hypothesized risk factors and the pathogenesis of chronic kidney disease has yet to be proven in prior studies. Leptospirosis and Hantavirus infections are important zoonotic diseases that are naturally maintained and transmitted via infected rodent populations and which present similar clinical and epidemiological features. Both infections are known to be a cause of acute kidney damage that can proceed into chronic renal failure. Several studies have reported presence of both infections in Sri Lanka. Therefore, we hypothesized that pathogenic Leptospira or Hantavirus are possible causative agents of acute kidney damage which eventually progresses to chronic kidney disease in Sri Lanka. The proposed hypothesis will be evaluated by means of an observational study design. Past infection will be assessed by a cross-sectional study to detect the presence of IgG antibodies with further confirmatory testing among chronic kidney disease patients and individuals from the community in selected endemic areas compared to low prevalence areas. Identification of possible risk factors for these infections will be followed by a case-control study and causality will be further determined with a cohort study. If the current hypothesis is true, affected communities will be subjected for medical interventions related to the disease for patient management while considering supportive therapies. Furthermore and possibly enhance their preventive and control measures to improve vector control to decrease the risk of infection. Copyright © 2016

Comparison of the Estimated Incidence of Acute Leptospirosis in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania between 2007–08 and 2012–14

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Maze, Michael J.; Biggs, Holly M.; Rubach, Matthew P.; Galloway, Renee L.; Cash-Goldwasser, Shama; Allan, Kathryn J.; Halliday, Jo E. B.; Hertz, Julian T.; Saganda, Wilbrod; Lwezaula, Bingileki F.; Cleaveland, Sarah; Mmbaga, Blandina T.; Maro, Venance P.; Crump, John A.

2016-01-01

Background The sole report of annual leptospirosis incidence in continental Africa of 75–102 cases per 100,000 population is from a study performed in August 2007 through September 2008 in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania. To evaluate the stability of this estimate over time, we estimated the incidence of acute leptospirosis in Kilimanjaro Region, northern Tanzania for the time period 2012–2014. Methodology and Principal Findings Leptospirosis cases were identified among febrile patients at two sentinel hospitals in the Kilimanjaro Region. Leptospirosis was diagnosed by serum microscopic agglutination testing using a panel of 20 Leptospira serovars belonging to 17 separate serogroups. Serum was taken at enrolment and patients were asked to return 4–6 weeks later to provide convalescent serum. Confirmed cases required a 4-fold rise in titre and probable cases required a single titre of ≥800. Findings from a healthcare utilisation survey were used to estimate multipliers to adjust for cases not seen at sentinel hospitals. We identified 19 (1.7%) confirmed or probable cases among 1,115 patients who presented with a febrile illness. Of cases, the predominant reactive serogroups were Australis 8 (42.1%), Sejroe 3 (15.8%), Grippotyphosa 2 (10.5%), Icterohaemorrhagiae 2 (10.5%), Pyrogenes 2 (10.5%), Djasiman 1 (5.3%), Tarassovi 1 (5.3%). We estimated that the annual incidence of leptospirosis was 11–18 cases per 100,000 population. This was a significantly lower incidence than 2007–08 (p<0.001). Conclusions We estimated a much lower incidence of acute leptospirosis than previously, with a notable absence of cases due to the previously predominant serogroup Mini. Our findings indicate a dynamic epidemiology of leptospirosis in this area and highlight the value of multi-year surveillance to understand leptospirosis epidemiology. PMID:27911902

Leptospirosis-Associated Severe Pulmonary Hemorrhagic Syndrome with Lower Back Pain as an Initial Symptom

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søndergaard, Mads Madsen; tursunovic, Amela; Thye-Roenn, Peter

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND Leptospirosis is a zoonosis transmitted through urine of infected animals. Symptoms range from mild influenza-like symptoms to severe pulmonary hemorrhagic syndrome (SPHS); the latter are often fatal. The serogroup distribution in Denmark has changed from 1988 to 2012, with Icterohaemo......BACKGROUND Leptospirosis is a zoonosis transmitted through urine of infected animals. Symptoms range from mild influenza-like symptoms to severe pulmonary hemorrhagic syndrome (SPHS); the latter are often fatal. The serogroup distribution in Denmark has changed from 1988 to 2012......, the patient died a few hours after hospital admission....

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices towards Leptospirosis among Lakeshore Communities of Calamba and Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines

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Joseph Arbiol

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is a serious and potentially fatal zoonotic disease, but often neglected owing to lack of awareness. This study examined the knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning leptospirosis among agricultural (n = 152 and non-agricultural (n = 115 workers in the lakeshore communities of Calamba and Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines. The findings showed no significant differences for the knowledge and attitude scores between agricultural and non-agricultural workers. However, agricultural workers had significantly lower prevention practice scores than non-agricultural workers. The ordinary least squares regression model identified gender, use of broadcast media as a source of health information, and knowledge and attitudes about leptospirosis as significant predictors of prevention practices common to both workers. Higher educational attainment was significantly associated with prevention practices among agricultural workers, while higher age and income level were significantly associated with prevention practices among non-agricultural workers. Public health interventions to improve leptospirosis knowledge and prevention practices should include health education and promotion programs, along with the strengthening of occupational health and safety programs in the agricultural sector.

Hemorrhagic, Hemostatic, and Thromboelastometric Disorders in 35 Dogs with a Clinical Diagnosis of Leptospirosis: A Prospective Study

OpenAIRE

Barth?lemy, A.; Magnin, M.; Pouzot?Nevoret, C.; Bonnet?Garin, J.?M.; Hugonnard, M.; Goy?Thollot, I.

2016-01-01

Background Leptospirosis in dogs is occasionally associated with a hemorrhagic syndrome, the pathophysiology of which is not fully understood. Hypothesis/Objectives To characterize hematologic, hemostatic, and thromboelastometric abnormalities in dogs with leptospirosis and to study their association with hemorrhagic diatheses and outcomes. Animals Thirty?five client?owned dogs. Methods A prospective observational single cohort study was conducted. Results from the CBC, coagulation tests (pro...

High Leptospira Diversity in Animals and Humans Complicates the Search for Common Reservoirs of Human Disease in Rural Ecuador.

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Barragan, Veronica; Chiriboga, Jorge; Miller, Erin; Olivas, Sonora; Birdsell, Dawn; Hepp, Crystal; Hornstra, Heidie; Schupp, James M; Morales, Melba; Gonzalez, Manuel; Reyes, Soraya; de la Cruz, Carmen; Keim, Paul; Hartskeerl, Rudy; Trueba, Gabriel; Pearson, Talima

2016-09-01

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease responsible for high morbidity around the world, especially in tropical and low income countries. Rats are thought to be the main vector of human leptospirosis in urban settings. However, differences between urban and low-income rural communities provide additional insights into the epidemiology of the disease. Our study was conducted in two low-income rural communities near the coast of Ecuador. We detected and characterized infectious leptospira DNA in a wide variety of samples using new real time quantitative PCR assays and amplicon sequencing. We detected infectious leptospira in a high percentage of febrile patients (14.7%). In contrast to previous studies on leptospirosis risk factors, higher positivity was not found in rats (3.0%) but rather in cows (35.8%) and pigs (21.1%). Six leptospira species were identified (L. borgpetersenii, L kirschnerii, L santarosai, L. interrogans, L noguchii, and an intermediate species within the L. licerasiae and L. wolffii clade) and no significant differences in the species of leptospira present in each animal species was detected (χ2 = 9.89, adj.p-value = 0.27). A large portion of the world's human population lives in low-income, rural communities, however, there is limited information about leptospirosis transmission dynamics in these settings. In these areas, exposure to peridomestic livestock is particularly common and high prevalence of infectious leptospira in cows and pigs suggest that they may be the most important reservoir for human transmission. Genotyping clinical samples show that multiple species of leptospira are involved in human disease. As these genotypes were also detected in samples from a variety of animals, genotype data must be used in conjunction with epidemiological data to provide evidence of transmission and the importance of different potential leptospirosis reservoirs.

Inbred Rats as a Model to Study Persistent Renal Leptospirosis and Associated Cellular Immune Responsiveness

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Jarlath E. Nally

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Pathogenic species of Leptospira cause leptospirosis, a bacterial zoonotic disease with a global distribution affecting over one million people annually. Rats are regarded as one of the most significant reservoir hosts of infection for human disease, and in the absence of clinical signs of infection, excrete large numbers of organisms in their urine. A unique biological equilibrium exists between pathogenic leptospires and reservoir hosts of infection, but surprisingly, little is known concerning the host's cellular immune response that facilitates persistent renal colonization. To address this deficiency, we established and applied an immunocompetent inbred rat model of persistent renal colonization; leptospires were detected in urine of experimentally infected rats by 3 weeks post-infection and remained positive until 8 weeks post-infection. However, there was little, if any, evidence of inflammation in colonized renal tubules. At 8 weeks post-infection, a robust antibody response was detected against lipopolysaccharide and protein outer membrane (OM components. Purified B and T cells derived from the spleen of infected and non-infected rats proliferated in response to stimulation with 0.5 μg of OM fractions of Leptospira, including CD4+ T cells, which comprised 40% of proliferating cells, compared to 25% in non-infected controls. However, analysis of gene expression did not determine which immunoregulatory pathways were activated. Lymphocytes purified from the lymph node draining the site of colonization, the renal lymph node, also showed an increase in percentage of proliferating B and T cells. However, in contrast to a phenotype of 40% CD4+ T cells in the spleen, the phenotype of proliferating T cells in the renal lymph node comprised 65% CD4+ T cells. These results confirm that the renal lymph node, the local lymphoid organ, is a dominant site containing Leptospira reactive CD4+ T cells and highlight the need to consider the local, vs

Low Levels of Knowledge, Attitudes and Preventive Practices on Leptospirosis among a Rural Community in Hulu Langat District, Selangor, Malaysia

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Noramira Nozmi

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Little is known on the knowledge, attitudes and preventive practices (KAP of leptospirosis worldwide. This study embarked on assessing the KAP of leptospirosis among rural communities in Malaysia. A total of 444 participants (223 male; 221 female aged between 18 and 81 years old were surveyed by using a self-administered questionnaire. A majority of participants had poor knowledge level (57.0%, unacceptable attitudes (90.3% and unacceptable preventive practices (69.1% on leptospirosis, and only 29.7% knew “rat-urine disease” as leptospirosis. Only 34.2% of the participants knew the bacteria could enter via wound lesions. Ethnicity and income were strongly associated with knowledge level and preventive practices, respectively (p-values < 0.05. As for attitudes, ethnicity, income and education type were significantly associated (p-values < 0.05. Only 36.5% of the participants were willing to see a doctor and did not mind if their house or surrounding area is dirty (59.7%. Surprisingly, only 32.9% had used rubber boots during floods. By logistic regression analysis, ethnicity was the only significant predictor for both knowledge level (an odds ratio (AOR = 0.39, 95% confidence interval (CI = 0.222–0.680 and preventive practices (AOR = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.204–2.734. Ethnicity (AOR = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.239–0.665, income (AOR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.041–2.385 and education type (AOR = 3.69, 95% CI = 1.237–10.986 were strong predictors for attitudes. Among the KAP variables, attitude (AOR = 4.357, 95% CI = 2.613–7.264 was the only predictor for the preventive practices by logistic regression analysis. The KAP elements on leptospirosis are still lacking and poor health seeking behavior and attitudes are of our utmost concern. Thus, effective strategies should be planned to impart knowledge, and develop proactive approaches and good preventive modules on leptospirosis to this leptospirosis-prone community.

Validation of a case definition for leptospirosis diagnosis in patients with acute severe febrile disease admitted in reference hospitals at the State of Pernambuco, Brazil

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Alfredo Pereira Leite de Albuquerque Filho

2011-12-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Leptospirosis is often mistaken for other acute febrile illnesses because of its nonspecific presentation. Bacteriologic, serologic, and molecular methods have several limitations for early diagnosis: technical complexity, low availability, low sensitivity in early disease, or high cost. This study aimed to validate a case definition, based on simple clinical and laboratory tests, that is intended for bedside diagnosis of leptospirosis among hospitalized patients. METHODS: Adult patients, admitted to two reference hospitals in Recife, Brazil, with a febrile illness of less than 21 days and with a clinical suspicion of leptospirosis, were included to test a case definition comprising ten clinical and laboratory criteria. Leptospirosis was confirmed or excluded by a composite reference standard (microscopic agglutination test, ELISA, and blood culture. Test properties were determined for each cutoff number of the criteria from the case definition. RESULTS: Ninety seven patients were included; 75 had confirmed leptospirosis and 22 did not. Mean number of criteria from the case definition that were fulfilled was 7.8±1.2 for confirmed leptospirosis and 5.9±1.5 for non-leptospirosis patients (p<0.0001. Best sensitivity (85.3% and specificity (68.2% combination was found with a cutoff of 7 or more criteria, reaching positive and negative predictive values of 90.1% and 57.7%, respectively; accuracy was 81.4%. CONCLUSIONS: The case definition, for a cutoff of at least 7 criteria, reached average sensitivity and specificity, but with a high positive predictive value. Its simplicity and low cost make it useful for rapid bedside leptospirosis diagnosis in Brazilian hospitalized patients with acute severe febrile disease.

Evaluation of risk factors of prevalence of leptospirosis in sheep flocks

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M Imandar

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis  is  a  worldwide  bacterial  zoonoses  that  its  main  source  are  wild animals  and  rodents  That  leptospirals  excrete  in  their  urine. This  disease  causes  fever, hemoglobinuria, jaundice, abortion, mastitis, reduced  milk  production, reproductive  disorders  and  death  in  cattle, that  major  complications  in  sheep  are  abortion  and  pyelonephritis. The  purpose  of  this  study  is the  evaluation  of   risk  factors  for  leptospirosis  disease  and  its  association  with  high  prevalence  of  infection  in  the  sheep  flocks. Accordingly, 260 serum samples were collected from 20 flocks of  sheep. Then  with  microscopic  agglutination  test (MAT using  6  live  antigen  Leptospira  interrogans  include  Pomona , canicola, icterohaemorrhagiae, gryppotyphoza, ballum  and  hardjo  was  studied. MAT  test  results  of  the  serum  samples  showed  the  contamination  was  28.46%. Most  contamination  of  the  samples  was  allocated  to  sheep  who  lived  in  swampy  areas, so  that  70.28%  of  positive   samples  were  included. 56.25%  of  positive  samples  among  the  samples  showed  positive  reaction  with  serotype canicola. On the other hand, 76.56%  of  the  positive  samples  belonged  to  animals  which  in  their  environment, rodents   in  very  large  numbers  were  observed. The  sheep  that  kept  in moist  and  wet  environment  to  be  had  60%  of  positive  samples , and  finally  the  highest frequency  of  positive  animals  were  ranged  among  ages  3  to  6  years  old, the  incidence  of  the  disease  increased  in  older  animals. By  attention  to  the  results, increasing  of  age, living  in  swampy  and  wet  bed, being  infectious  dogs  in  side  of  flocks and  also  very  large

CASE REPORT OF PATIENTS WITH LEPTOSPIROSIS HOSPITALIZED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES AT GENERAL HOSPITAL MURSKA SOBOTA IN THE YEAR 2002 – THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BLOOD CULTURE

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Emil Pal

2003-05-01

Full Text Available Background. Leptospirosis is a zoonosis with worldwide distribution. In Slovenia, Pomurje is an endemic area. Manifestations of leptospirosis may be observed as different types of disease. The range from a short-lived febrile state to a severe disease with renal failure, liver impairment, hemorrhage and fulminant course.Patients and methods. Until year 2001 in the Department of infectious diseases at General Hospital Murska Sobota, only serological methods in diagnosis of leptospirosis had been used. Only in 2002 isolation of leptospires from blood was used. Four cases of confirmed leptospirosis hospitalized in our Department in 2002 were presented with broad spectrum of clinical courses and the significance of cultivation of leptospires from blood in the diagnosis.Conclusions. Because of the protean manifestations of leptospirosis, microbiological tests are essential for confirmatory diagnosis. In case of epidemiological data, clinical course and laboratory markers suggesting the diagnosis of leptospirosis, it is advisible to obtain blood cultures.

Neumonía aguda de la comunidad y hemorragia pulmonar por leptospirosis en el área metropolitana Buenos Aires Community acquired pneumonia and pulmonary hemorrhage in leptospirosis in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area

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Alfredo Seijo

2011-04-01

Full Text Available El objetivo del trabajo es comunicar los hallazgos epidemiológicos, clínicos y de diagnóstico de la neumonía y hemorragia pulmonar por leptospirosis, en el período enero 2007 a octubre 2009. Un 64% (20/31 de pacientes con diagnóstico de leptospirosis tuvieron neumonía. Quince de ellos (75% presentaron neumonía grave, de los cuales siete (35% desarrollaron hemorragia pulmonar. En diez enfermos (32% el motivo de consulta e inicio del cuadro clínico fue una gastroenteritis secretoria con fiebre y dolor abdominal. La ictericia sólo se manifestó en once pacientes (35%. La técnica de reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR fue útil para el diagnóstico en muestra obtenida post mortem. De un hemocultivo se aisló una cepa clasificada dentro del serogrupo canicola. Se clasificaron las neumonías en tres tipos: neumonías de curso no grave con escasa repercusión general; neumonías graves asociadas a formas clínicas sistémicas con ictericia, insuficiencia renal, trombocitopenia y hemorragia pulmonar; también de curso grave, no asociada a ictericia, insuficiencia renal o trombocitopenia grave. El tratamiento antibiótico iniciado en los primeros días de enfermedad (promedio 3.2 días no tuvo influencia en la evolución de las neumonías graves. Se plantea además considerar tres formas clínicas de leptospirosis: anictérica, ictérica (con sus variantes evolutivas y hemorragia pulmonar.The aim of this paper is to report the epidemiological, clinical and diagnosis findings of pneumonia and pulmonary hemorrhage observed in patients with leptospirosis in the period January 2007 to October 2009. A 64% (20/31 of patients diagnosed with leptospirosis presented pneumonia. Fifteen of them (75% had severe pneumonia, of which seven (35% were pulmonary hemorrhage. In ten patients (32% reason for consultation and clinical early stage was a secretory gastroenteritis with fever and abdominal pain. Jaundice was only expressed in eleven patients (35

Leptospira diversity in animals and humans in Tahiti, French Polynesia.

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Guernier, Vanina; Richard, Vaea; Nhan, Tuxuan; Rouault, Eline; Tessier, Anita; Musso, Didier

2017-06-01

Leptospirosis is a highly endemic bacterial zoonosis in French Polynesia (FP). Nevertheless, data on the epidemiology of leptospirosis in FP are scarce. We conducted molecular studies on Leptospira isolated from humans and the potential main animal reservoirs in order to identify the most likely sources for human infection. Wild rats (n = 113), farm pigs (n = 181) and domestic dogs (n = 4) were screened for Leptospira infection in Tahiti, the most populated island in FP. Positive samples were genotyped and compared to Leptospira isolated from human cases throughout FP (n = 51), using secY, 16S and LipL32 sequencing, and MLST analysis. Leptospira DNA was detected in 20.4% of rats and 26.5% of pigs. We identified two Leptospira species and three sequence types (STs) in animals and humans: Leptospira interrogans ST140 in pigs only and L. interrogans ST17 and Leptospira borgpetersenii ST149 in humans and rats. Overall, L. interrogans was the dominant species and grouped into four clades: one clade including a human case only, two clades including human cases and dogs, and one clade including human cases and rats. All except one pig sample showed a unique L. interrogans (secY) genotype distinct from those isolated from humans, rats and dogs. Moreover, LipL32 sequencing allowed the detection of an additional Leptospira genotype in pigs, clearly distinct from the previous ones. Our data confirm rats as a major potential source for human leptospirosis in FP. By contrast to what was expected, farm pigs did not seem to be a major reservoir for the Leptospira genotypes identified in human patients. Thus, further investigations will be required to determine their significance in leptospirosis transmission in FP.

Development and validation of a new knowledge, attitude, belief and practice questionnaire on leptospirosis in Malaysia.

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Zahiruddin, Wan Mohd; Arifin, Wan Nor; Mohd-Nazri, Shafei; Sukeri, Surianti; Zawaha, Idris; Bakar, Rahman Abu; Hamat, Rukman Awang; Malina, Osman; Jamaludin, Tengku Zetty Maztura Tengku; Pathman, Arumugam; Mas-Harithulfadhli-Agus, Ab Rahman; Norazlin, Idris; Suhailah, Binti Samsudin; Saudi, Siti Nor Sakinah; Abdullah, Nurul Munirah; Nozmi, Noramira; Zainuddin, Abdul Wahab; Aziah, Daud

2018-03-07

In Malaysia, leptospirosis is considered an endemic disease, with sporadic outbreaks following rainy or flood seasons. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a new knowledge, attitude, belief and practice (KABP) questionnaire on leptospirosis for use in urban and rural populations in Malaysia. The questionnaire comprised development and validation stages. The development phase encompassed a literature review, expert panel review, focus-group testing, and evaluation. The validation phase consisted of exploratory and confirmatory parts to verify the psychometric properties of the questionnaire. A total of 214 and 759 participants were recruited from two Malaysian states, Kelantan and Selangor respectively, for the validation phase. The participants comprised urban and rural communities with a high reported incidence of leptospirosis. The knowledge section of the validation phase utilized item response theory (IRT) analysis. The attitude and belief sections utilized exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The development phase resulted in a questionnaire that included four main sections: knowledge, attitude, belief, and practice. In the exploratory phase, as shown by the IRT analysis of knowledge about leptospirosis, the difficulty and discrimination values of the items were acceptable, with the exception of two items. Based on the EFA, the psychometric properties of the attitude, belief, and practice sections were poor. Thus, these sections were revised, and no further factor analysis of the practice section was conducted. In the confirmatory stage, the difficulty and discrimination values of the items in the knowledge section remained within the acceptable range. The CFA of the attitude section resulted in a good-fitting two-factor model. The CFA of the belief section retained low number of items, although the analysis resulted in a good fit in the final three-factor model. Based on the IRT analysis and factor

Caracterización clinicoepidemiológica de pacientes con leptospirosis Clinical and epidemiological characterization of patients with leptospirosis

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Abel Tobías Suárez Olivares

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Se efectuó un estudio descriptivo y transversal de 145 pacientes con leptospirosis, ingresados en el Hospital General Docente “Dr. Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso” de Santiago de Cuba durante el 2005. La enfermedad fue más frecuente en el sexo masculino (85,5 % y los grupos etarios de 15 a 54 años. La mayor tasa de incidencia por 100 000 habitantes se registró en el municipio de II Frente (29,0 y el mayor número de casos (64 en el de Santiago de Cuba. Solo 21 pacientes se incluían en las categorías ocupacionales de riesgo (labores agrícolas y pecuarias. Las manifestaciones clínicas consistieron en fiebre, cefalea y artromialgias. Los pacientes graves presentaron complicaciones pulmonares, cardíacas, hepáticas y renales.A descriptive and cross-sectional study of 145 patients with leptospirosis, admitted in "Dr. Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso" Teaching General Hospital in Santiago de Cuba during the 2005 was carried out. The disease was more frequent in the male sex (85,5% and the age group from 15 to 54 years. The highest incidence rate for 100 000 inhabitants was registered in II Frente municipality (29,0 and the largest number of cases (64 in Santiago de Cuba municipality. Only 21 patients were included in the risk occupational categories(agricultural and cattle activities.The clinical manifestations consisted in fever, migraine and arthromyalgias. The severely-ill patients had lung, heart, hepatic and renal complications.

Decreased delayed hypersensitivity to tuberculin demonstrated in experimental leptospirosis in guinea pigs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Colding, H; Johansen, K S; Bentzon, M W

1976-01-01

Skin reactivity to tuberculin has been studied during the course of experimental leptospirosis in guinea pigs. A depression of the delayed hypersensitivity to tuberculin was demonstrated in the infected animals. The depression was most pronounced when icterus had developed. The depression...

Factores de riesgo sociales y ambientales relacionados con casos de leptospirosis de manejo ambulatorio y hospitalario, Turbo, Colombia

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Dionisia Yusti

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Introducción. La leptospirosis es un problema de salud pública en el Urabá colombiano y poco se sabe sobre las condiciones ambientales y sociales de esta enfermedad en la región. Objetivo. Explorar algunos factores de riesgo relacionados con leptospirosis de manejo hospitalario y ambulatorio, en pacientes del municipio de Turbo durante los años 2010 y 2011. Materiales y métodos. Mediante un estudio descriptivo se exploraron factores relacionados conla exposición a Leptospira spp. (aspectos socio-demográficos, hábitos, condiciones físicas y de saneamiento de la vivienda, hacinamiento, fuentes de agua potable, presencia de roedores sinantrópicos y convivencia con animales en pacientes con leptospirosis que requirieron manejo hospitalario en el municipio de Turbo durante los años 2010 y 2011. Se utilizaron medidas estadísticas estandarizadas para estudios descriptivos. Resultados. Se encontró que el hábito de caminar descalzo en ambientes domésticos representó 4,27 (1,32-13,82 veces el riesgo para presentar leptospirosis de manejo hospitalario (p=0,012. El análisis multivariado exploratorio mostró que la presencia de fauna silvestre en las viviendas puede estar relacionada también con casos de manejo hospitalario. Este hallazgo representó 4,22 (1,13-15,72 veces el riesgo comparado con los casos ambulatorios que manifestaron no tener este tipo deanimales dentro de la vivienda (p=0,032. Conclusión. Este estudio plantea bases para diseñar e implementar intervenciones efectivas, orientadas desde el perfil de riesgos al que se exponen sus habitantes, en un área geográfica queexhibe una epidemiología dinámica de contexto complejo para leptospirosis.   doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.7705/biomedica.v33i0.1457

Utility of loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay, polymerase chain reaction, and elisa for diagnosis of leptospirosis in South Indian patients

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Mallika Sengupta

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease which requires laboratory diagnosis for confirmation. Materials and Methods: In this study serum samples from adults with acute undifferentiated fever (duration ≤15 days were tested for IgM antibodies to Leptospira by ELISA, PCR for rrs gene and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP assay for LipL32 and LipL41. Results: Among the 150 sera tested, three were positive by PCR, LAMP and IgM ELISA/modified Faines' criteria, two by only PCR; seven only by LAMP assay and forty fulfilled modified Faine's criteria (illness clinically compatible and IgM ELISA positive for leptospirosis. Clinical correlation revealed renal compromise, low platelet count and severe jaundice were significantly related to leptospirosis (P < 0.05. Conclusion: This study suggests that LAMP assay could be useful for diagnosis of leptospirosis during the 1st week of illness whereas IgM ELISA forms the mainstay of diagnosis from the 2nd week onward. Further studies especially community based, comparing ELISA, PCR, LAMP, culture and microscopic agglutination test are required to evaluate the veracity of these findings.

Diagnóstico de leptospirosis humana

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Piedad Agudelo-Flórez

2010-04-01

Full Text Available La leptospirosis ha re-emergido como una enfermedad infecciosa importante de distribución universal. El agente etiológico es un grupo de 17 especies del género Leptospira. En el humano la enfermedad puede ser asintomática o presentarse como una enfermedad febril bifásica con sintomatología inespecífica y autolimitada que puede durar de 5-10 días. Los síntomas iniciales además de la fiebre, incluyen dolor de cabeza, escalofríos, vómito, cefalalgia, mialgias generalizadas e infección conjuntival y malestar, a veces, postración. En su forma más común la leptospirosis adopta el aspecto clínico de un síndrome febril anictérico. Lasegunda fase presenta las características de la fase inmune y se correlaciona con la aparición de anticuerpos circulantes de clase IgM. En 5-10% de los casos se agregan ictericia, manifestaciones hemorrágicas e insuficiencia renal aguda y bilirrubinas elevadas, constituyendo la enfermedad de Weil. Otros casos presentan síntomas meníngeos o cursan como síndrome pulmonar hemorrágico que es la forma más grave y fatal descrita hasta el momento, con 25 a 50% de mortalidad asociada, superando la ocasionada por el clásico síndrome de Weil. En términos generales es ampliamente aceptado que el diagnóstico oportuno, el inicio temprano de antibióticos, junto con el manejo apropiado, de la falla renal aguda y la insuficiencia respiratoria, en los casos que lo requieran, disminuye las probabilidades de que la enfermedad curse a formas graves y potencialmente fatales (1-3.

Outbreak of Leptospirosis after a Race in the Tropical Forest of Martinique

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Hochedez, Patrick; Rosine, Jacques; Théodose, Rafaelle; Abel, Sylvie; Bourhy, Pascale; Picardeau, Mathieu; Quénel, Philippe; Cabié, André

2011-01-01

Three athletes who participated in a race in the tropical forest of the Caribbean island of Martinique were subsequently diagnosed with leptospirosis using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We investigated an outbreak to evaluate possible risk factors, and to determine the appropriate public health recommendations. Of 230 athletes, we contacted 148 (64%) and 20 (13.5%) met our case definition. Five were hospitalized and none were fatal. Ten (91%) of the 11 ill athletes who were tested were confirmed by PCR or serology. Serogroup Pyrogenes was commonly found. Cutaneous cuts, reported by 14 (73.7%), was the only potential risk factor using univariate analysis. Sporting event participants in tropical areas should be made aware of specific warnings and recommendations concerning the risk of leptospirosis, especially after periods of heavy rainfall or flooding. Rapid diagnostic assays such as PCR are particularly appropriate in this setting for early diagnosis and for formulating public health recommendations. PMID:21460020

The terminal portion of leptospiral immunoglobulin-like protein LigA confers protective immunity against lethal infection in the hamster model of leptospirosis.

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Silva, Everton F; Medeiros, Marco A; McBride, Alan J A; Matsunaga, Jim; Esteves, Gabriela S; Ramos, João G R; Santos, Cleiton S; Croda, Júlio; Homma, Akira; Dellagostin, Odir A; Haake, David A; Reis, Mitermayer G; Ko, Albert I

2007-08-14

Subunit vaccines are a potential intervention strategy against leptospirosis, which is a major public health problem in developing countries and a veterinary disease in livestock and companion animals worldwide. Leptospiral immunoglobulin-like (Lig) proteins are a family of surface-exposed determinants that have Ig-like repeat domains found in virulence factors such as intimin and invasin. We expressed fragments of the repeat domain regions of LigA and LigB from Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni. Immunization of Golden Syrian hamsters with Lig fragments in Freund's adjuvant induced robust antibody responses against recombinant protein and native protein, as detected by ELISA and immunoblot, respectively. A single fragment, LigANI, which corresponds to the six carboxy-terminal Ig-like repeat domains of the LigA molecule, conferred immunoprotection against mortality (67-100%, P<0.05) in hamsters which received a lethal inoculum of L. interrogans serovar Copenhageni. However, immunization with this fragment did not confer sterilizing immunity. These findings indicate that the carboxy-terminal portion of LigA is an immunoprotective domain and may serve as a vaccine candidate for human and veterinary leptospirosis.

Evaluation of the diagnostic value of serologic microagglutination testing and a polymerase chain reaction assay for diagnosis of acute leptospirosis in dogs in a referral center.

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Fraune, Claudia Kümmerle; Schweighauser, Ariane; Francey, Thierry

2013-05-15

To determine the diagnostic value of a serologic microagglutination test (MAT) and a PCR assay on urine and blood for the diagnosis of leptospirosis in dogs with acute kidney injury (AKI). Cross-sectional study. Animals-76 dogs with AKI in a referral hospital (2008 to 2009). Dogs' leptospirosis status was defined with a paired serologic MAT against a panel of 11 Leptospira serovars as leptospirosis-associated (n = 30) or nonleptospirosis-associated AKI (12). In 34 dogs, convalescent serologic testing was not possible, and leptospirosis status was classified as undetermined. The diagnostic value of the MAT single acute or convalescent blood sample was determined in dogs in which leptospirosis status could be classified. The diagnostic value of a commercially available genus-specific PCR assay was evaluated by use of 36 blood samples and 20 urine samples. Serologic acute testing of an acute blood sample had a specificity of 100% (95% CI, 76% to 100%), a sensitivity of 50% (33% to 67%), and an accuracy of 64% (49% to 77%). Serologic testing of a convalescent blood sample had a specificity of 92% (65% to 99%), a sensitivity of 100% (87% to 100%), and an accuracy of 98% (88% to 100%). Results of the Leptospira PCR assay were negative for all samples from dogs for which leptospirosis status could be classified. Serologic MAT results were highly accurate for diagnosis of leptospirosis in dogs, despite a low sensitivity for early diagnosis. In this referral setting of dogs pretreated with antimicrobials, testing of blood and urine samples with a commercially available genus-specific PCR assay did not improve early diagnosis.

Risk factors associated with leptospirosis in dairy goats under tropical conditions in Brazil.

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Lilenbaum, Walter; Varges, Renato; Medeiros, Luciana; Cordeiro, Ana Gabriela; Cavalcanti, Amanda; Souza, Guilherme N; Richtzenhain, Leonardo; Vasconcellos, Silvio A

2008-02-01

Serum samples from 248 adult dairy goats from 13 flocks with lowered fertility farmed in the Rio de Janeiro region of Brazil were examined for Leptospira antibodies by MAT with 24 serovars, cut off 100. A questionnaire was completed for each herd. Antibodies were detected in 20.8% of these goats, mainly to serovar Hardjo. Risk factors associated with seroprevalence to leptospirosis were the frequency of professional veterinary supervision (OR = 2.35), climate (OR = 2.63) and grazing for more than 2h a day. Flock factors as size, type of milking and offering of food supplementation, as well as the location and topography, the type of animal housing or the presence of silos did not significantly affect seroprevalence. We suggest that a successful control program for goat leptospirosis should include a complete investigation of herd management practices, which could influence in the occurrence of the infection.

Leptospirosis: serie de casos en un centro penitenciario de la costa de Ecuador

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D. Valarezo-Sevilla

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Se describe los casos de dos pacientes inicialmente diagnosticados como dengue e infección urinaria. Los pacientes eran personas privadas de la libertad en la misma prisión y estuvieron en contacto con agua dulce estancada aproximadamente dos semanas antes del inicio de los síntomas durante las fiestas del carnaval, siendo el sitio probable de la contaminación. El tiempo transcurrido entre el ingreso al hospital y la sospecha de leptospirosis (y el inicio del tratamiento fue de cuatro días para el paciente del caso 1 y dos días para el caso 2; entre el ingreso y la confirmación diagnóstica por laboratorio fue de diez días para el caso 1 y cuatro días para el caso 2. Se concluye que la leptospirosis no se considera como una opción dentro del diagnóstico diferencial inicial sino luego de descartar otras patologías.

Lp25 membrane protein from pathogenic Leptospira spp. is associated with rhabdomyolysis and oliguric acute kidney injury in a guinea pig model of leptospirosis.

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Abreu, Patrícia A E; Seguro, Antonio C; Canale, Daniele; Silva, Ana Maria G da; Matos, Larissa do R B; Gotti, Tatiane B; Monaris, Denize; Jesus, Denise A de; Vasconcellos, Sílvio A; de Brito, Thales; B Magaldi, Antonio J

2017-05-01

Acute kidney injury (AKI) from leptospirosis is frequently nonoliguric with hypo- or normokalemia. Higher serum potassium levels are observed in non-survivor patients and may have been caused by more severe AKI, metabolic disarrangement, or rhabdomyolysis. An association between the creatine phosphokinase (CPK) level and maximum serum creatinine level has been observed in these patients, which suggests that rhabdomyolysis contributes to severe AKI and hyperkalemia. LipL32 and Lp25 are conserved proteins in pathogenic strains of Leptospira spp., but these proteins have no known function. This study evaluated the effect of these proteins on renal function in guinea pigs. Lp25 is an outer membrane protein that appears responsible for the development of oliguric AKI associated with hyperkalemia induced by rhabdomyolysis (e.g., elevated CPK, uric acid and serum phosphate). This study is the first characterization of a leptospiral outer membrane protein that is associated with severe manifestations of leptospirosis. Therapeutic methods to attenuate this protein and inhibit rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI could protect animals and patients from severe forms of this disease and decrease mortality.

Use of geographically weighted logistic regression to quantify spatial variation in the environmental and sociodemographic drivers of leptospirosis in Fiji: a modelling study

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Helen J Mayfield, PhD

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Summary: Background: Leptospirosis is a globally important zoonotic disease, with complex exposure pathways that depend on interactions between human beings, animals, and the environment. Major drivers of outbreaks include flooding, urbanisation, poverty, and agricultural intensification. The intensity of these drivers and their relative importance vary between geographical areas; however, non-spatial regression methods are incapable of capturing the spatial variations. This study aimed to explore the use of geographically weighted logistic regression (GWLR to provide insights into the ecoepidemiology of human leptospirosis in Fiji. Methods: We obtained field data from a cross-sectional community survey done in 2013 in the three main islands of Fiji. A blood sample obtained from each participant (aged 1–90 years was tested for anti-Leptospira antibodies and household locations were recorded using GPS receivers. We used GWLR to quantify the spatial variation in the relative importance of five environmental and sociodemographic covariates (cattle density, distance to river, poverty rate, residential setting [urban or rural], and maximum rainfall in the wettest month on leptospirosis transmission in Fiji. We developed two models, one using GWLR and one with standard logistic regression; for each model, the dependent variable was the presence or absence of anti-Leptospira antibodies. GWLR results were compared with results obtained with standard logistic regression, and used to produce a predictive risk map and maps showing the spatial variation in odds ratios (OR for each covariate. Findings: The dataset contained location information for 2046 participants from 1922 households representing 81 communities. The Aikaike information criterion value of the GWLR model was 1935·2 compared with 1254·2 for the standard logistic regression model, indicating that the GWLR model was more efficient. Both models produced similar OR for the covariates, but

DNA isolation by Chelex-100: an efficient approach to consider in leptospirosis early stages

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Angel Alberto Noda

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: To compare the value of leptospiral DNA extraction procedures from clinical samples for the early diagnosis of leptospirosis. Methods: Three DNA extraction procedures were applied for microbiological analysis, results of QIAmp DNA mini kit (QIAGEN, Germany, CLART HPV kit (GENOMICA, Spain and Chelex-100 assay were compared concerning extraction efficiency, DNA purity and DNA suitability for amplification by specific polymerase chain reaction for pathogenic leptospires from blood, plasma and serum artificially infected. Results: The comparison of extraction methods highlighted the efficiency of Chelex-100 and QIAmp DNA mini kit. Chelex-100 achieved the isolation of the highest concentration of leptospiral DNA from the culture and the spiked samples, with acceptable purities and without inhibitors to PCR. Conclusions: Chelex-100 assay is a rapid and effective approach for DNA isolation in clinical samples having pathogenic leptospires and it could be useful in the early diagnosis of leptospirosis.

Características clínicas y epidemiológicas de la leptospirosis en el departamento del Quindío, 2005-2006 Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of leptospirosis in the Quindío department (2005-2006

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Gregorio Sanchez Vallejo

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Objetivo. Describir el comportamiento clínico, epidemiológico y serológico de los pacientes con leptospirosis humana en el departamento del Quindío en un periodo de 2 años (2005-2006. Diseño. Estudio prospectivo de serie de casos. Resultados. Se diagnosticaron 38 casos de leptospirosis humana en el 2005 y 31 casos en el 2006, en el departamento del Quindío. En ellos se encontró una letalidad de 13% en el 2005 y de 3,2% en el 2006. Las manifestaciones clínicas más frecuentes fueron fiebre, mialgia, ictericia y cefalea. La prueba MAT estandarizada fue el método diagnóstico confirmatorio. La variedad serológica icterohemorrágica se encontró con mayor frecuencia y estuvo presente en la mayoría de los casos de mortalidad. Los hallazgos paraclínicos más frecuentes fueron alteraciones de la función hepática (78% PK elevada (60%. Conclusiones. Contrario a lo que se cree, la leptospirosis sintomática en el departamento del Quindío no se encontró en la población rural sino en la población urbana. Al realizar la búsqueda, el diagnóstico y el tratamiento adecuado, se disminuyeron las complicaciones y la mortalidad, como se puede observar al comparar los años 2005 y 2006.

Discovery of Novel Leptospirosis Vaccine Candidates Using Reverse and Structural Vaccinology

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Alan John Alexander McBride

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Leptospira spp. are diderm (two membranes bacteria that infect mammals causing leptospirosis, a public health problem with global implications. Thousands of people die every year due to leptospirosis, especially in developing countries with tropical climates. Prophylaxis is difficult due to multiple factors, including the large number of asymptomatic hosts that transmit the bacteria, poor sanitation, increasing numbers of slum dwellers, and the lack of an effective vaccine. Several leptospiral recombinant antigens were evaluated as a replacement for the inactivated (bacterin vaccine; however, success has been limited. A prospective vaccine candidate is likely to be a surface-related protein that can stimulate the host immune response to clear leptospires from blood and organs. In this study, a comprehensive bioinformatics approach based on reverse and structural vaccinology was applied toward the discovery of novel leptospiral vaccine candidates. The Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni strain L1-130 genome was mined in silico for the enhanced identification of conserved β-barrel (βb transmembrane proteins and outer membrane (OM lipoproteins. Orthologs of the prospective vaccine candidates were screened in the genomes of 20 additional Leptospira spp. Three-dimensional structural models, with a high degree of confidence, were created for each of the surface-exposed proteins. Major histocompatibility complex II (MHC-II epitopes were identified, and their locations were mapped on the structural models. A total of 18 βb transmembrane proteins and 8 OM lipoproteins were identified. These proteins were conserved among the pathogenic Leptospira spp. and were predicted to have epitopes for several variants of MHC-II receptors. A structural and functional analysis of the sequence of these surface proteins demonstrated that most βb transmembrane proteins seem to be TonB-dependent receptors associated with transportation. Other proteins

Use of geographically weighted logistic regression to quantify spatial variation in the environmental and sociodemographic drivers of leptospirosis in Fiji: a modelling study.

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Mayfield, Helen J; Lowry, John H; Watson, Conall H; Kama, Mike; Nilles, Eric J; Lau, Colleen L

2018-05-01

Leptospirosis is a globally important zoonotic disease, with complex exposure pathways that depend on interactions between human beings, animals, and the environment. Major drivers of outbreaks include flooding, urbanisation, poverty, and agricultural intensification. The intensity of these drivers and their relative importance vary between geographical areas; however, non-spatial regression methods are incapable of capturing the spatial variations. This study aimed to explore the use of geographically weighted logistic regression (GWLR) to provide insights into the ecoepidemiology of human leptospirosis in Fiji. We obtained field data from a cross-sectional community survey done in 2013 in the three main islands of Fiji. A blood sample obtained from each participant (aged 1-90 years) was tested for anti-Leptospira antibodies and household locations were recorded using GPS receivers. We used GWLR to quantify the spatial variation in the relative importance of five environmental and sociodemographic covariates (cattle density, distance to river, poverty rate, residential setting [urban or rural], and maximum rainfall in the wettest month) on leptospirosis transmission in Fiji. We developed two models, one using GWLR and one with standard logistic regression; for each model, the dependent variable was the presence or absence of anti-Leptospira antibodies. GWLR results were compared with results obtained with standard logistic regression, and used to produce a predictive risk map and maps showing the spatial variation in odds ratios (OR) for each covariate. The dataset contained location information for 2046 participants from 1922 households representing 81 communities. The Aikaike information criterion value of the GWLR model was 1935·2 compared with 1254·2 for the standard logistic regression model, indicating that the GWLR model was more efficient. Both models produced similar OR for the covariates, but GWLR also detected spatial variation in the effect of each

Pulmonary manifestation of leptospirosis: Clinical and experimental correlation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Im, J.G.; Yeon, K.M.; Han, M.C.; Kim, C.W.; Chang, W.H.; Lee, J.S.

1987-01-01

Pulmonary radiographic findings were noted in 24 (56%) of 43 patients with leptospirosis, proved by positive serology. Three radiographic patterns were evident: (1) small nodular densities (n = 11), (2) patchy or confluent consolidation (n = 4), and (3) diffuse ill-defined groundglass density (n = 9). Abnormalities were bilateral, nonlobar, and peripheral. Pulmonary abnormalities all resolved within 10 days, except in three patients who died. Artificial infection was induced through intraperitoneal injection of Leptospira interohemorrhagiae into 20 guinea pigs. The lungs from the guinea pigs initially showed petechial hemorrhage which progressed to large confluent ares of hemorrhage. The typical pulmonary radiographic findings of leptopirosis are compatible with the multifocal pulmonary hemorrhage seen in the guinea pigs

Arthropod borne disease: the leading cause of fever in pregnancy on the Thai-Burmese border.

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Rose McGready

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Fever in pregnancy is dangerous for both mother and foetus. In the 1980's malaria was the leading cause of death in pregnant women in refugee camps on the Thai-Burmese border. Artemisinin combination therapy has significantly reduced the incidence of malaria in the population. The remaining causes of fever in pregnancy are not well documented.Pregnant women attending antenatal care, where weekly screening for malaria is routine, were invited to have a comprehensive clinical and laboratory screen if they had fever. Women were admitted to hospital, treated and followed up weekly until delivery. A convalescent serum was collected on day 21. Delivery outcomes were recorded.Febrile episodes (n = 438 occurred in 5.0% (409/8,117 of pregnant women attending antenatal clinics from 7-Jan-2004 to 17-May-2006. The main cause was malaria in 55.5% (227/409. A cohort of 203 (49.6% of 409 women had detailed fever investigations and follow up. Arthropod-borne (malaria, rickettsial infections, and dengue and zoonotic disease (leptospirosis accounted for nearly half of all febrile illnesses, 47.3% (96/203. Coinfection was observed in 3.9% (8/203 of women, mostly malaria and rickettsia. Pyelonephritis, 19.7% (40/203, was also a common cause of fever. Once malaria, pyelonephritis and acute respiratory illness are excluded by microscopy and/or clinical findings, one-third of the remaining febrile infections will be caused by rickettsia or leptospirosis. Scrub and murine typhus were associated with poor pregnancy outcomes including stillbirth and low birth weight. One woman died (no positive laboratory tests.Malaria remains the leading cause of fever in pregnancy on the Thai-Burmese border. Scrub and murine typhus were also important causes of fever associated with poor pregnancy outcomes. Febrile pregnant women on the Thai-Burmese border who do not have malaria, pyelonephritis or respiratory tract infection should be treated with azithromycin, effective for typhus

Early diagnosis of leptospirosis

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Andrea Babic-Erceg

2014-06-01

Full Text Available A 25-years old man from Zagreb, Croatia, was admitted to the University Hospital for Infectious Diseases four days after the onset of symptoms such as fever, intense pain in the calves and anuria. The patient owned a rabbit and, before the onset of the disease, repaired some rubber pipes damaged by rodents. At admission, he had a severe clinical picture with fever, hypotension, jaundice, immobility, and pain in leg muscles. Treatment with ceftriaxone was initiated in combination with volume restitution. Renal failure soon ensued. Consequently continuous venovenous hemodiaphiltration therapy was performed. Due to acute respiratory distress syndrome, the patient was mechanically ventilated. The patient’s condition gradually improved and he recovered fully from multi-organ failure. Diagnosis was confirmed by a microscopic agglutination test (MAT covering 15 leptospira serovars and real-time polymerase-chain reaction (PCR. The first serum sample taken on day 6 tested negative for leptospira, while PCR showed positive results for leptospiral DNA. The second serum sample taken on day 13 tested positive for serovar Canicola serogroup Canicola, serovar Patoc, serovar Grippotyphosa serogroup Grippotyphosa and serovar Tarassovi serogroup Tarassovi (titre 4000, 4000, 1000 and 2000, respectively, while PCR was negative. This report highlights the benefits of combining MAT and PCR methods in early diagnosis of leptospirosis.

Responses of murine and human macrophages to leptospiral infection: a study using comparative array analysis.

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Feng Xue

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is a re-emerging tropical infectious disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp. The different host innate immune responses are partially related to the different severities of leptospirosis. In this study, we employed transcriptomics and cytokine arrays to comparatively calculate the responses of murine peritoneal macrophages (MPMs and human peripheral blood monocytes (HBMs to leptospiral infection. We uncovered a series of different expression profiles of these two immune cells. The percentages of regulated genes in several biological processes of MPMs, such as antigen processing and presentation, membrane potential regulation, and the innate immune response, etc., were much greater than those of HBMs (>2-fold. In MPMs and HBMs, the caspase-8 and Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD-like apoptosis regulator genes were significantly up-regulated, which supported previous results that the caspase-8 and caspase-3 pathways play an important role in macrophage apoptosis during leptospiral infection. In addition, the key component of the complement pathway, C3, was only up-regulated in MPMs. Furthermore, several cytokines, e.g. interleukin 10 (IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha, were differentially expressed at both mRNA and protein levels in MPMs and HBMs. Some of the differential expressions were proved to be pathogenic Leptospira-specific regulations at mRNA level or protein level. Though it is still unclear why some animals are resistant and others are susceptible to leptospiral infection, this comparative study based on transcriptomics and cytokine arrays partially uncovered the differences of murine resistance and human susceptibility to leptospirosis. Taken together, these findings will facilitate further molecular studies on the innate immune response to leptospiral infection.

Responses of Murine and Human Macrophages to Leptospiral Infection: A Study Using Comparative Array Analysis

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Yang, Yingchao; Zhao, Jinping; Yang, Yutao; Cao, Yongguo; Hong, Cailing; Liu, Yuan; Sun, Lan; Huang, Minjun; Gu, Junchao

2013-01-01

Leptospirosis is a re-emerging tropical infectious disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp. The different host innate immune responses are partially related to the different severities of leptospirosis. In this study, we employed transcriptomics and cytokine arrays to comparatively calculate the responses of murine peritoneal macrophages (MPMs) and human peripheral blood monocytes (HBMs) to leptospiral infection. We uncovered a series of different expression profiles of these two immune cells. The percentages of regulated genes in several biological processes of MPMs, such as antigen processing and presentation, membrane potential regulation, and the innate immune response, etc., were much greater than those of HBMs (>2-fold). In MPMs and HBMs, the caspase-8 and Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD)-like apoptosis regulator genes were significantly up-regulated, which supported previous results that the caspase-8 and caspase-3 pathways play an important role in macrophage apoptosis during leptospiral infection. In addition, the key component of the complement pathway, C3, was only up-regulated in MPMs. Furthermore, several cytokines, e.g. interleukin 10 (IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), were differentially expressed at both mRNA and protein levels in MPMs and HBMs. Some of the differential expressions were proved to be pathogenic Leptospira-specific regulations at mRNA level or protein level. Though it is still unclear why some animals are resistant and others are susceptible to leptospiral infection, this comparative study based on transcriptomics and cytokine arrays partially uncovered the differences of murine resistance and human susceptibility to leptospirosis. Taken together, these findings will facilitate further molecular studies on the innate immune response to leptospiral infection. PMID:24130911

Use of doxycycline for leptospirosis after high-risk exposure in São Paulo, Brazil

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Claudio R. GONSALEZ

1998-01-01

Full Text Available A clinical trial pilot study, double-blinded, randomized, and controlled with a placebo to assess the effectiveness of oral doxycycline (200 mg, single dose in preventing leptospirosis after high exposure to potentially contamined water was performed in São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Confirmed cases were defined as those with leptospira IgM antibody and symptoms; asymptomatic cases were those presenting with IgM antibodies but no symptoms; and suspected cases were individuals with symptoms but no IgM antibody. Forty subjects were given doxycycline and 42 were given placebo. In the drug-treated group there were 2 confirmed cases, 11 asymptomatic cases, and 6 suspected cases. In the placebo group there were 5 confirmed, 6 symptomatic, and 5 suspected cases. Even though we found a protective association of doxycycline for confirmed leptospirosis cases (RR = 2.3 and seroconversion only (RR = 2.0, the association was not statistically significant because of the small number of individuals enrolled in this pilot study. We observed that the 22% of the volunteers already had IgM antibodies to leptospirosis at the first sampling. Finally, the attack rate to confirmed, asymptomatic, and suspected cases of Leptospirosis was 8.5%, 22%, and 13%, respectively, in this population.Um ensaio clínico, duplo-cego, ao acaso, e controlado com placebo para aferir a eficácia da doxiciclina (200 mg, dose única em prevenir leptospirose após exposição de alto risco com água potencialmente contaminada foi realizado em São Paulo, SP, Brasil. Casos confirmados foram definidos como aqueles que apresentavam anticorpos IgM anti-Leptospira e sintomas; casos assintomáticos eram aqueles que apresentavam somente anticorpo IgM, casos suspeitos apresentavam sintomas, porém sem anticorpo IgM. 40 indivíduos tomaram doxaciclina e 42 tomaram placebo. No grupo tratado houve 2 casos confirmados, 11 assintomáticos e 6 casos suspeitos. No grupo placebo houve 5 casos confirmados, 6

The infective causes of hepatitis and jaundice amongst hospitalised patients in Vientiane, Laos

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Syhavong, Bounkong; Rasachack, Bouachanh; Smythe, Lee; Rolain, Jean-Marc; Roque-Afonso, Anne-Marie; Jenjaroen, Kemajittra; Soukkhaserm, Vimone; Phongmany, Simmaly; Phetsouvanh, Rattanaphone; Soukkhaserm, Sune; Thammavong, Te; Mayxay, Mayfong; Blacksell, Stuart D.; Barnes, Eleanor; Parola, Philippe; Dussaix, Elisabeth; Raoult, Didier; Humphreys, Isla; Klenerman, Paul; White, Nicholas J.; Newton, Paul N.

2010-01-01

Summary There is little information on the diverse infectious causes of jaundice and hepatitis in the Asiatic tropics. Serology (hepatitis A, B, C and E, leptospirosis, dengue, rickettsia), antigen tests (dengue), PCR assays (hepatitis A, C and E) and blood cultures (septicaemia) were performed on samples from 392 patients admitted with jaundice or raised transaminases (≥ × 3) to Mahosot Hospital, Vientiane, Laos over 3 years. Conservative definitions suggested diagnoses of dengue (8.4%), rickettsioses (7.3%), leptospirosis (6.8%), hepatitis B (4.9%), hepatitis C (4.9%), community-acquired septicaemia (3.3%) and hepatitis E (1.6%). Although anti-hepatitis A virus (HAV) IgM antibody results suggested that 35.8% of patients had acute HAV infections, anti-HAV IgG antibody avidity and HAV PCR suggested that 82% had polyclonal activation and not acute HAV infections. Scrub typhus, murine typhus or leptospirosis were present in 12.8% of patients and were associated with meningism and relatively low AST and ALT elevation. These patients would be expected to respond to empirical doxycycline therapy which, in the absence of virological diagnosis and treatment, may be an appropriate cost-effective intervention in Lao patients with jaundice/hepatitis. PMID:20378138

Coinfection of dengue and leptospirosis in a girl from the Peruvian Amazon

OpenAIRE

Núñez-Garbín, Alexandra; Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas. Lima, Perú; Espinoza-Figueroa, Jossué; Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas. Lima, Perú; Sihuincha-Maldonado, Moisés; Hospital de Apoyo Iquitos. Loreto, Perú; Suarez-Ognio, Luis; Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas. Lima, Perú

2015-01-01

We report the case of a 10 year old girl, born and raised in the city of Iquitos in Peru who presented with headache, fever, chills, musculoskeletal pain, mild epigastric pain, epistaxis and hematemesis. On physical examination, the patient was afebrile and in good general condition. Serological tests confirmed infection of dengue and leptospirosis. The patient received intravenous hydration with sodium chloride 0.9% and penicillin G sodium, achieving a favorable clinical course such that she...

Randomized controlled trial of pulse methyl prednisolone × placebo in treatment of pulmonary involvement associated with severe leptospirosis. [ISRCTN74625030

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Leite Alfredo

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The lungs are involved in up to 70% of cases of leptospirosis. In the more severe forms-bleeding from the lungs and acute respiratory distress syndrome-the lethality is high. The treatment proposed for leptospirotic pneumonitis includes just care for patients in critical condition. Clinical and experimental studies point to the involvement of immunological mechanisms in the physiopathology of lung damage caused by leptospirosis. The aim of this study is to evaluate pulse treatment with methylprednisolone × placebo for leptospirotic pneumonitis. Study design This is a randomized double-blind clinical trial to test the efficacy of pulse treatment with methylprednisolone in patients with leptospirotic pneumonitis, compared with a placebo. The patients are recruited from three hospitals in the city of Recife, in the Brazilian State of Pernambuco. The exclusion criteria include patients aged under 15 years, a history of hypersensitivity to the use of corticosteroids, the presence of active infection of fungal, tuberculous or bacterial origin apart from the infection by leptospira itself, the presence of hemoconcentration or atypical lymphocyte count on admission to hospital, the presence of co-morbidities that could be responsible for the radiological and gasometric alterations used to diagnose leptospirotic pneumonitis, evidence of recent cranial trauma, neurosurgery, peptic ulcer, and participation in another clinical trial. The patients are followed until they are discharged from hospital or die. The intervention consists of endovenous pulse treatment with 1 g methylprednisolone for three consecutive days in the study group and a placebo in the control group. The primary end-point is mortality from leptospirotic pneumonitis. The secondary end-points are: evolution of lung disease; the occurrence of nosocomial respiratory infection; duration of mechanical ventilation; duration of intensive care unit (ICU stay; duration of

Reproductive Disorders and Leptospirosis: A Case Study in a Mixed-Species Farm (Cattle and Swine

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Marcella Mori

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Animal leptospirosis, exempt in rodents, manifests as peculiar biology where the animal can function, simultaneously or not, as a susceptible host or reservoir. In the first case, clinical symptoms are likely. In the second case, infection is subclinical and manifestations are mild or absent. Mild clinical symptoms encompass reproductive failure in production animals for host-adapted Leptospira sp. serovars. This work presents a study on Leptospira sp. infection in a mixed-species (bovine and swine farm with documented reproductive disorders in the cattle unit. A long calving interval (above 450 days was the hallmark observed in cows. Some cows (2/26 tested presented a high titre of antibodies against Leptospira sp. serogroup Sejroe, but the overall within-herd prevalence was low (11.5% and 7.7% for cut-off titres of 1:30 and 1:100, respectively. The in-herd prevalence of leptospirosis in the sow unit (determined for 113/140 animals was high when using a lowered cut-off threshold (32.7% vs. 1.8% for cut-off titre of 1:30 and 1:100, respectively. In this unit, the most prevalent serogroup was Autumnalis. The final diagnostic confirmation of Leptospira sp. maintenance within the farm was obtained through detection by PCR of Leptospira sp. DNA in an aborted swine litter. Despite the fact that a common causative infective agent was diagnosed in both species, the direct link between the two animal units was not found. Factors such as drinking from the same water source and the use of manure prepared with the swine slurry might raise suspicion of a possible cross-contamination between the two units. In conclusion, this work suggests that leptospirosis be included in the differential diagnosis of reproductive disorders and spontaneous abortions in production animals and provides data that justify the use of a lowered threshold cut-off for herd diagnosis.

Coupling of ground biosensor networks for water monitoring with satellite observations in assessing Leptospirosis

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Skouloudis, A. N.; Rickerby, D. G.

2012-12-01

Leptospirosis became recently a major public-health problem that is closely related with the environment (Nature review Oct 2009, Vol 7, pp 736-747). This disease originates from zoonotic pathogens associated with asymptomatic rodent carriers. Unfortunately, it effects human populations via various direct and indirect routes. This disease can claim many victims with large outbreaks during natural disasters or floods occurring during seasonal conditions. The severity of the illness ranges from subclinical infection to a fulminating fatal disease. Improved water quality monitoring techniques based on biosensor, optical, micro-fluidic and information technologies are leading to radical changes in our ability to perceive and monitor the aquatic environment. Biosensors are capable of providing specific, high spatial resolution information and allow unattended operation that will be particularly useful for water borne related diseases. Current research on biosensors is leading to solutions to problems for several contaminants that were previously irresolvable due to their high degree of complexity. Networking of the sensors enables sensitive monitoring systems allowing real-time monitoring of pollutants and facilitates data transmission between the measurement points and central control stations for continuous surveillance and to provide an early warning capability. The application of intelligent biosensor networks for water quality monitoring and detection of localized sources of pollution are discussed together with the setting up of a methodology that utilizes images from satellite coupled with in-situ sensors for anticipating the zones of potential evolution of this disease and assessing the population at risk. Environmental and climatic conditions that are associated the outbreaks are described and the rational of combining earth observations coupled with advanced in-situ biosensors is explained. The implementation of sensor networks for data collection and exposure

Evaluation of the Standard Diagnostics Leptospira IgM ELISA for diagnosis of acute leptospirosis in Lao PDR

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tanganuchitcharnchai, Ampai; Smythe, Lee; Dohnt, Michael; Hartskeerl, Rudy; Vongsouvath, Manivanh; Davong, Viengmone; Lattana, Olay; Newton, Paul N.; Blacksell, Stuart D.

2012-01-01

The diagnostic utility of the Standard Diagnostics Leptospira IgM ELISA for detection of acute leptospirosis was assessed in febrile adults admitted in Vientiane, Laos. Using the cut-off suggested by the manufacturer [optical density (OD) >= 0.75], the assay demonstrated limited diagnostic capacity

Seroepidemiological pattern of leptospirosis in bovine of South Gujarat, India

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J. M. Patel

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Aim: Seroepidemiological study of leptospirosis in cattle of various South Gujarat district (Navsari, Tapi, Surat, Valsad. Materials and Methods: Whole blood samples were collected randomly from different age groups, and breeds of cattle of either sex reared in different districts (Navsari, Surat, Tapi, Valsad of South Gujarat. To obtain serum, whole blood was kept in slanting position in 9.0 ml plain vacutainers until serum extracted out of the whole blood. Then these 9.0 ml plain vacutainers were centrifuged at 7000 rpm for 10 min. The straw colored serum was then collected in 1.5 ml sterile cryo vials and aliquoted and stored at −20°C for microscopic agglutination test. Results: In the present study, overall 12.81% (51/398 seroprevalence were recorded with highest seroprevalence (47.06%, 24/51 from Valsad followed by Navsari (9.14%, 18/197, Surat (6.90%, 2/29 and Tapi (5.79%, 7/121 among cattle. The seroprevalence rate of breed and sex wise did not differ significantly (p≤0.05. Maximum incidence of seropositivity was found above 4 years (16.32%, 39/239 of age group followed by animals between 1 and 4 years (9.68%, 12/124. Thus, the age was significantly influencing the seropositivity (p≤0.05. In cattle out of 398 sera screened, 51 were positive with one or more serovars. The highest seropositivity was recorded against serovar Pomona (28.89%. Conclusions: Overall 12.81% seroprevalence of leptospirosis in apparently healthy and clinically ailing bovine of South Gujarat indicating potential zoonotic risk to farmers, labor, and animal owners.

Characterization and immunogenicity of rLipL32/1-LipL21-OmpL1/2 fusion protein as a novel immunogen for a vaccine against Leptospirosis

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Zhao Xin

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Vaccination is an effective strategy to prevent leptospirosis, a global zoonotic disease caused by infection with pathogenic Leptospira species. However, the currently used multiple-valence vaccine, which is prepared with whole cells of several Leptospira serovars, has major side effects, while its cross-immunogenicity among different Leptospira serovars is weak. LipL32, LipL21 and 2 OmpL1 have been confirmed as surface-exposed antigens in all pathogenic Leptospira strains, but their immunoprotective efficiency needs to be improved. In the present study, we generated a fusion gene lipL32/1-lipL21-ompL1/2 using primer-linking PCR and an engineered E. coli strain to express the recombinant fusion protein rLipL32/1-LipL21-OmpL1/2 (rLLO. Subsequently, the expression conditions were optimized using a central composite design that increased the fusion protein yield 2.7-fold. Western blot assays confirmed that rLLO was recognized by anti-rLipL32/1, anti-rLipL21, and anti-rOmpL1/2 sera as well as 98.5% of the sera from leptospirosis patients. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT demonstrated that rLLO antiserum had a stronger ability to agglutinate the strains of different Leptospira serovars than the rLipL32/1, rLipL21, and rOmpL1/2 antisera. More importantly, tests in hamsters showed that rLLO provided higher immunoprotective rates (91.7% than rLipL32/1, rLipL21 and rOmpL1/2 (50.0-75.0%. All the data indicate that rLLO, a recombinant fusion protein incorporating three antigens, has increased antigenicity and immunoprotective effects, and so can be used as a novel immunogen to develop a universal genetically engineered vaccine against leptospirosis.

Organizational root causes for human factor accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dougherty, D.T.

1997-01-01

Accident prevention techniques and technologies have evolved significantly throughout this century from the earliest establishment of standards and procedures to the safety engineering improvements the fruits of which we enjoy today. Most of the recent prevention efforts focused on humans and defining human factor causes of accidents. This paper builds upon the remarkable successes of the past by looking beyond the human's action in accident causation to the organizational factors that put the human in the position to cause the accident. This organizational approach crosses all functions and all career fields

Zika Virus, a Cause of Fever in Central Java, Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

1981-01-01

considered with the isolation of ZIKA Lee, V. H. & Moore, D. L. (1972). Vectors of the virus from a variety of other Aedes of the subgenus 1969 yellow...a vector of the virus . 46, 669-673. Marchette, N. J., Garcia, R. & Rudnick, A. (1969). Acknowledgements Isolation of Zika virus from Aedes aegypti mos...hemagglutination test for the diagnosis of human Twelve isolations of Zika virus from Aedes leptospirosis. Journal of Clinical Microbiology

Diagnóstico de leptospirosis: evaluación de un enzimoinmunoensayo en fase sólida en diferentes etapas de la enfermedad Diagnosis of leptospirosis: evaluation of a solid-phase enzyme immunoassay in different stages of the disease

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Norma B. Vanasco

2007-06-01

solid-phase enzyme immunoassay (ELISA for genus-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG determination with leptospirosis and to evaluate the ELISA in different stages of the disease. METHODS: A total of 1 077 serum samples from 812 patients with suspected leptospirosis were analyzed. The samples had come from diagnoses done in the laboratory of the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases (Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias, in the city of Santa Fe, Argentina, between 1999 and 2005. Included in the study were 182 confirmed cases (267 samples, 167 negative cases (293 samples, and 40 probable cases (60 samples (based on case definitions based on the results from the microscopic agglutination test (MAT, leukocyte counts, and neutrophilia values. Each sample was classified, according to the days of the natural history of disease, into one of three stages: first ( 25 days. The antigen used in the ELISA was an extract of a mixture of pyrogenes and tarassovi serovars cultivated in a liquid medium, treated with ultrasound, and immobilized by adsorption on polystyrene plates. As a secondary antibody, a peroxidase-conjugated goat anti-human IgG monoclonal antibody was used. The cutoff value, sensitivity, and specificity of the ELISA were determined using the definitions of confirmed cases and of negatives cases as the standard. In order to determine the optimal cutoff value, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was calculated. RESULTS: The sensitivity of the evaluated test was much higher in the second stage (93.2% than in either the first stage (68.1% or the third stage (78.8%. The specificity increased gradually from 96.3% in the first stage to 100% in the third stage. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that this ELISA test can be a very useful complement to the MAT for the diagnosis of leptospirosis in all the stages and, in particular, in order to diagnose acute disease sooner.

Comportamiento de la vigilancia epidemiológica de la leptospirosis humana en Colombia, 2007-2011

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Solmara Bello

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Introducción. La leptospirosis es una zoonosis reemergente de distribución mundial causada por una espiroqueta del género Leptospira. Durante los últimos años en Colombia aumentó el número de casos en humanos y animales. Objetivo. Caracterizar epidemiológicamente los casos de leptospirosis notificados al Sistema Nacional de Vigilancia en Salud Pública de Colombia y hacer una aproximación para conocer los serogrupos que circulan en el país. Materiales y métodos. Se diseñó un estudio observacional de corte retrospectivo, con registros del proceso de vigilancia de los casos reportados por el software Sivigila y muestras enviadas al Grupo de Microbiología de la Red Nacional de Laboratorios, durante el periodo 2007 a 2011. Se registraron variables de tipo sociodemográficas y se analizaron 17 serogrupos de Leptospira. En el análisis seutilizaron medidas de frecuencia, tendencia central y dispersión. Resultados. Se procesaron 11.786 registros, confirmándose 4.621 casos de leptospirosis. Las entidades territoriales con mayor registro fueron Valle del Cauca, Antioquia, Risaralda, Atlántico y Barranquilla; y las de incidencia más alta fueron Guaviare, Risaralda, San Andrés, Santa Marta y Barranquilla. El mayor número de casos reportados perteneció al área urbana, con mayor frecuencia de hombres (77 %, estudiantes (19,4 % y amas de casas (13,6 %, con una mediana por edad de 29 años (rango intercuartílico: 45-19. Se evidenció la circulación de 17 serogrupos en el país; los más frecuentes fueron Australis (24,89 %, Hebdomadis (9,33 % y Sejroe (8,0 %. Conclusión. En Colombia se ha mejorado la notificación y clasificación final de los casos, lo que ha permitido identificar al serogrupo Australis como el de mayor circulación.   doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.7705/biomedica.v33i0.1608

Reverse Vaccinology: An Approach for Identifying Leptospiral Vaccine Candidates

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Odir A. Dellagostin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is a major public health problem with an incidence of over one million human cases each year. It is a globally distributed, zoonotic disease and is associated with significant economic losses in farm animals. Leptospirosis is caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp. that can infect a wide range of domestic and wild animals. Given the inability to control the cycle of transmission among animals and humans, there is an urgent demand for a new vaccine. Inactivated whole-cell vaccines (bacterins are routinely used in livestock and domestic animals, however, protection is serovar-restricted and short-term only. To overcome these limitations, efforts have focused on the development of recombinant vaccines, with partial success. Reverse vaccinology (RV has been successfully applied to many infectious diseases. A growing number of leptospiral genome sequences are now available in public databases, providing an opportunity to search for prospective vaccine antigens using RV. Several promising leptospiral antigens were identified using this approach, although only a few have been characterized and evaluated in animal models. In this review, we summarize the use of RV for leptospirosis and discuss the need for potential improvements for the successful development of a new vaccine towards reducing the burden of human and animal leptospirosis.

Proteínas recombinantes útiles para el diagnóstico, prevención y estudios patogénicos de la leptospirosis : Estudio de mecanismos patogénicos involucrados

OpenAIRE

Prêtre, Gabriela

2011-01-01

Objetivo general El propósito general de este trabajo es: 1. Generar herramientas moleculares que sean útiles contra la leptospirosis, ya sea para su diagnóstico, prevención o un mejor conocimiento de su patogénesis. 2. Estudiar mecanismos patogénicos involucrados en la leptospirosis. Objetivos específicos 1. Clonado, expresión y purificación de proteínas recombinantes. 2. Producción de antisuero contra las proteínas recombinantes....

Serological investigation of Leptospira infection and its circulation in one intensive-type water buffalo farm in the Philippines.

Science.gov (United States)

Villanueva, Marvin A; Mingala, Claro N; Gloriani, Nina G; Yanagihara, Yasutake; Isoda, Norikazu; Nakajima, Chie; Suzuki, Yasuhiko; Koizumi, Nobuo

2016-02-01

Water buffalo is an indispensable livestock in the Philippines. Leptospirosis is a serious zoonosis that can be fatal to humans and cause reproductive problems in livestock. Leptospirosis has been reported in some countries where water buffaloes are commercially raised, highlighting the Leptospira prevalence in this farming system, but information on leptospirosis in water buffalo farms in the Philippines is limited. In this study, we collected blood samples from rats (n = 21), and water buffaloes (n = 170) from different groups and locations in one intensive-type buffalo farm in the Philippines. Serum was analyzed by microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Anti-Leptospira antibodies reacting with serogroups Canicola, Icterohaemorrhagiae and Pomona were found in sera of 30% tested rats, and 48% of water buffalo sera tested positive for at least one Leptospira strain, in which serogroups Mini, Hebdomadis, Tarassovi and Pyrogenes were predominantly agglutinated. The number of seropositive young water buffaloes (Leptospira strains with variable MAT titers. In addition, antibodies against serogroups Icterohaemorrhagiae and Pomona were detected in both animals. Finally, Leptospira infection was found associated with age and animal grouping, highlighting the impact of management in the persistence of leptospirosis at intensive-type buffalo farm settings in the Philippines. Further investigation and appropriate control strategies are required to prevent leptospirosis from causing risks to public health and economic losses to the water buffalo farming industry.

Canine leptospirosis in Switzerland-A prospective cross-sectional study examining seroprevalence, risk factors and urinary shedding of pathogenic leptospires.

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Delaude, Alessandro; Rodriguez-Campos, Sabrina; Dreyfus, Anou; Counotte, Michel Jacques; Francey, Thierry; Schweighauser, Ariane; Lettry, Sophie; Schuller, Simone

2017-06-01

Leptospirosis is an important worldwide zoonosis. While human leptospirosis remains rare in Switzerland, the incidence of canine leptospirosis is unusually high compared to other European countries. The aims of this cross-sectional study were to determine the exposure of asymtomatic dogs to pathogenic Leptospira in Switzerland, to characterise risk factors associated with seropositivity and to determine the prevalence of urinary shedding. Sampling was stratified to cover the whole of Switzerland. Sera were tested by microscopic agglutination test for antibodies against a panel of 12 serovars. Urine was tested for pathogenic Leptospira using a LipL32 real-time PCR. Of 377 sera, 55.7% (95%CI 51.2-60.7) showed a reciprocal MAT titre of ≥1:40 and 24.9% (95%CI 20.7-29.4) of ≥1:100 to at least one serovar. Seropositivity (MAT ≥1:100) was most common to serovars Australis (14.9%; 95% CI 11.4-18.6) and Bratislava (8.8%; 95%CI 6.1-11.7), followed by Copenhageni (6.1%; 95%CI 3.7-8.5), Canicola (5%; 95%CI 2.9-7.4), Grippotyphosa (4.5%; 95%CI 2.7-6.9), Pomona (4%; 95%CI 2.1-6.1), Autumnalis (2.7%; 95%CI 1.3-4.2) and Icterohaemorrhagiae (1.6%; 95%CI 0.5-2.9). In unvaccinated dogs (n=84) the prevalence of a MAT titre ≥100 was 17.9% (95%CI 10.7-26.2), with a similar distribution of reactive serovars. Variables associated with seropositivity (≥1:40) to any serovar included age (OR 1.29/year; 95%CI: 1.1-1.5) and bioregion with higher risks in the regions Northern Alps (OR 14.5; 95%CI 2.2-292.7), Central Plateau (OR 12.3; 95%CI 2.0-244.1) and Jura (OR 11.2; 95%CI 1.7-226.7) compared to Southern Central Alps. Dogs living with horses were significantly more likely to have antibodies to serovar Bratislava (OR 4.68;95%CI 1.2-17.2). Hunting was a significant risk factor for seropositivtiy to serovar Grippotyphosa (OR 8.03; 95%CI 1.6-30.8). Urine qPCR positivity was uncommon (1/408 dogs; 0.2%; 95% CI0-0.7). These results demonstrate that dogs in Switzerland are commonly exposed

Statistical aspects and risks of human-caused earthquakes

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Klose, C. D.

2013-12-01

The seismological community invests ample human capital and financial resources to research and predict risks associated with earthquakes. Industries such as the insurance and re-insurance sector are equally interested in using probabilistic risk models developed by the scientific community to transfer risks. These models are used to predict expected losses due to naturally occurring earthquakes. But what about the risks associated with human-caused earthquakes? Such risk models are largely absent from both industry and academic discourse. In countries around the world, informed citizens are becoming increasingly aware and concerned that this economic bias is not sustainable for long-term economic growth, environmental and human security. Ultimately, citizens look to their government officials to hold industry accountable. In the Netherlands, for example, the hydrocarbon industry is held accountable for causing earthquakes near Groningen. In Switzerland, geothermal power plants were shut down or suspended because they caused earthquakes in canton Basel and St. Gallen. The public and the private non-extractive industry needs access to information about earthquake risks in connection with sub/urban geoengineeing activities, including natural gas production through fracking, geothermal energy production, carbon sequestration, mining and water irrigation. This presentation illuminates statistical aspects of human-caused earthquakes with respect to different geologic environments. Statistical findings are based on the first catalog of human-caused earthquakes (in Klose 2013). Findings are discussed which include the odds to die during a medium-size earthquake that is set off by geomechanical pollution. Any kind of geoengineering activity causes this type of pollution and increases the likelihood of triggering nearby faults to rupture.

Neumonía aguda de la comunidad y hemorragia pulmonar por leptospirosis en el área metropolitana Buenos Aires

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Alfredo Seijo

2011-04-01

Full Text Available El objetivo del trabajo es comunicar los hallazgos epidemiológicos, clínicos y de diagnóstico de la neumonía y hemorragia pulmonar por leptospirosis, en el período enero 2007 a octubre 2009. Un 64% (20/31 de pacientes con diagnóstico de leptospirosis tuvieron neumonía. Quince de ellos (75% presentaron neumonía grave, de los cuales siete (35% desarrollaron hemorragia pulmonar. En diez enfermos (32% el motivo de consulta e inicio del cuadro clínico fue una gastroenteritis secretoria con fiebre y dolor abdominal. La ictericia sólo se manifestó en once pacientes (35%. La técnica de reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR fue útil para el diagnóstico en muestra obtenida post mortem. De un hemocultivo se aisló una cepa clasificada dentro del serogrupo canicola. Se clasificaron las neumonías en tres tipos: neumonías de curso no grave con escasa repercusión general; neumonías graves asociadas a formas clínicas sistémicas con ictericia, insuficiencia renal, trombocitopenia y hemorragia pulmonar; también de curso grave, no asociada a ictericia, insuficiencia renal o trombocitopenia grave. El tratamiento antibiótico iniciado en los primeros días de enfermedad (promedio 3.2 días no tuvo influencia en la evolución de las neumonías graves. Se plantea además considerar tres formas clínicas de leptospirosis: anictérica, ictérica (con sus variantes evolutivas y hemorragia pulmonar.

Thrombocytopenia and leptospirosis Trombocitopenia e leptospirose

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Antonio Carlos Nicodemo

1990-08-01

Full Text Available The present study has intended to contribute to the elucidation of the pathogenic mechanisms, involved in the thrombocytopenia and in the bleeding diathesis seen in the course of Leptospirosis. The group of cases included in the present prospective study consisted of 30 patients with Leptospirosis, admitted to the Infectious and Parasitic Diseases Ward, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo. The following possible mechanisms of thrombocytopenia have been considered and therefore investigated: platelet consumption, due to disseminated intravascular coagulation; immune-mediated platelet destruction, due to platelet-associated antibodies and an inhibited platelet production in the bone marrow. Thrombocytopenia occurred in 86.6% of 30 patients and did not seem to be immune-mediated by platelet-associated antibodies. Furthermore it did not seem to be due to a disseminated intravascular coagulation consumption. Although there was a statistically-significant correlation between bone marrow platelet production and platelet counts we think that the static microscopic examination of a bone marrow aspirate cannot accurately depict the dynamic mechanisms of platelet production when these cells are being consumed in peripheral blood. Vasculitis should be considered as the most important factor for the pathogenesis of the bleeding disturbances in Leptospirosis. However, we believe that thrombocytopenia, uremia and coagulation disorders, individually or as a group, should be included among the contributing factors that lead to and worsen bleeding episodes, which represent the leading cause of death in this disease.O propósito do presente trabalho é colaborar para o estudo da patogenia da plaquetopenia que ocorre na Leptospirose. A pesquisa foi feita de maneira prospectiva e o grupo de casos foi constituído por 30 pacientes internados com hipótese diagnostica de Leptospirose na Clínica de Doenças Infecciosas e Parasit

Leptospiral agglutinins in captive and free ranging non-human primates in Sarawak, Malaysia

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S. Thayaparan

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Aim: The proposed study was carried out to determine the extent of exposure to leptospirosis in non-human primates. Materials and Methods: Trapping of non-human primates was carried out opportunistically around the Bako National Park and the Matang Wildlife Center in the vicinity of human settlements and tourism areas of Sarawak. Blood samples were obtained from the saphenous vein to determine the presence of antibodies by the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT to 17 serovars of Leptospira commonly found in Malaysia. Results: This study reports the screening of twelve primates (eight captive and four free ranging for leptospirosis. Eight of the 12 monkeys (66.6%; 95% CI 34.9-90.1 reacted against one or two serovars of Leptospira (Lai and Leptospira Lepto175. The serovar Lai is considered pathogenic for different mammals, including humans. Leptospira Lepto 175 has been identified as an intermediate strain and further studies are being undertaken on this serovar. Conclusion: These results are important as primates may act as reservoirs of Leptospira spp. for humans, which may potentially affect tourism (economic loss, conservation efforts and public health.

Orientia, rickettsia, and leptospira pathogens as causes of CNS infections in Laos

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dittrich, Sabine; Rattanavong, Sayaphet; Lee, Sue J

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Scrub typhus (caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi), murine typhus (caused by Rickettsia typhi), and leptospirosis are common causes of febrile illness in Asia; meningitis and meningoencephalitis are severe complications. However, scarce data exist for the burden of these pathogens......, Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae, S suis) and O tsutsugamushi, Rickettsia typhi/Rickettsia spp, and Leptospira spp infections in blood or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We analysed and compared causes and clinical and CSF characteristics between patient groups. FINDINGS: 1051 (95%) of 1112...... patients who presented had CSF available for analysis, of whom 254 (24%) had a CNS infection attributable to a bacterial or fungal pathogen. 90 (35%) of these 254 infections were caused by O tsutsugamushi, R typhi/Rickettsia spp, or Leptospira spp. These pathogens were significantly more frequent than...

Comparative genomics of pathogenic Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola isolated from swine and human in Brazil

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Luisa Z Moreno

Full Text Available Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola is one of the most important pathogenic serovars for the maintenance of urban leptospirosis. Even though it is considered highly adapted to dogs, serovar Canicola infection has already been described in other animals and even a few human cases. Here, we present the genomic characterisation of two Brazilian L. interrogans serovar Canicola strains isolated from slaughtered sows (L0-3 and L0-4 and their comparison with human strain Fiocruz LV133. It was observed that the porcine serovar Canicola strains present the genetic machinery to cause human infection and, therefore, represent a higher risk to public health. Both human and porcine serovar Canicola isolates also presented sequences with high identity to the Chinese serovar Canicola published plasmids pGui1 and pGui2. The plasmids identification in the Brazilian and Chinese serovar Canicola strains suggest that extra-chromosomal elements are one more feature of this serovar that was previously unnoticed.

Cross-protection between experimental anti-leptospirosis bacterins

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Cristina Corsi Dib

2014-09-01

Full Text Available We investigated the existence of cross-protection between two anti-leptospirosis monovalent experimental bacterins produced with two strains of Leptospira serogroup Pomona: Fromm strain of serovar Kennewicky, isolated from pigs in the United States, and strain GR6 of serovar Pomona isolated from pigs in Brazil. Both were added of aluminum hydroxide as an adjuvant. Experimental bacterins were tested with the hamster potency test in order to assess protection provided against the disease and against the establishment of kidney infection. Controls were polyvalent commercial vaccine produced with Leptospira strains isolated outside Brazil, which included a representative of Pomona serovar, or Sorensen solution added of aluminum hydroxide adjuvant. The challenge was performed with cross-strains of serogroup Pomona tested in accordance with international standards established for the potency test. After 21 days of the challenge, survivors were killed to evaluate the condition of Leptospira renal carrier. Experimental bacterins protected hamsters against homologous and heterologous strains, demonstrating the existence of cross-protection. The commercial vaccine protected the hamsters challenged with both strains, but there was a high proportion of animals diagnosed as renal carriers when the challenge was performed with strain GR6, isolated from pigs in Brazil.

Cross-protection between experimental anti-leptospirosis bacterins

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Dib, Cristina Corsi; Gonçales, Amane Paldês; de Morais, Zenaide Maria; de Souza, Gisele Oliveira; Miraglia, Fabiana; Abreu, Patricia Antonia Estima; Vasconcellos, Silvio Arruda

2014-01-01

We investigated the existence of cross-protection between two anti-leptospirosis monovalent experimental bacterins produced with two strains of Leptospira serogroup Pomona: Fromm strain of serovar Kennewicky, isolated from pigs in the United States, and strain GR6 of serovar Pomona isolated from pigs in Brazil. Both were added of aluminum hydroxide as an adjuvant. Experimental bacterins were tested with the hamster potency test in order to assess protection provided against the disease and against the establishment of kidney infection. Controls were polyvalent commercial vaccine produced with Leptospira strains isolated outside Brazil, which included a representative of Pomona serovar, or Sorensen solution added of aluminum hydroxide adjuvant. The challenge was performed with cross-strains of serogroup Pomona tested in accordance with international standards established for the potency test. After 21 days of the challenge, survivors were killed to evaluate the condition of Leptospira renal carrier. Experimental bacterins protected hamsters against homologous and heterologous strains, demonstrating the existence of cross-protection. The commercial vaccine protected the hamsters challenged with both strains, but there was a high proportion of animals diagnosed as renal carriers when the challenge was performed with strain GR6, isolated from pigs in Brazil. PMID:25477946

A standard screening test for the early and rapid diagnosis of leptospirosis

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Chandrasekaran S

2004-01-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE : To perform dark field microscopy (DFM for detection of Leptospira and to validate the results using Leptospira IgM antibody SERION ELISA test. METHODS : After differential centrifugation of Ruys, DFM was done to demonstrate Leptospira in the blood and SERION ELISA was done for Leptospira IgM antibody in single or paired serum samples. One hundred and eleven cases (39 adults and 72 children of suspected leptospirosis were included in the study. RESULTS : Anicteric cases accounted for 66.7% (26/39 of adults and complications involving brain, liver, kidney and eyes were seen in 33.3% (13/39. In children, 90.3% (65/72 were anicteric and involvement of brain and liver was seen in 9.7% (7/72 cases. On testing 60 single samples of blood from 23 adults and 37 children, DFM exhibited greater sensitivity of 93.3% (56/60 than that of SERION ELISA for Leptospira IgM antibody (33.3%, 20/60. It was observed that the positivity of DFM decreased from 100% (15/15 to 90.9% (10/11 with increase in the duration of infection for more than one week. ELISA for Leptospira IgM, done on 51 paired blood samples, was positive in 64.7% (33/51 cases when both (first and second samples were tested while in 45.1% (23/51 cases was positive with first sample alone. 58.8%(30/51 cases were positive by testing second sample. DFM results on paired blood samples showed persistence of Leptospira in 92.9% of cases. CONCLUSION : This study shows the validation of DFM results by SERION ELISA for Leptospira IgM antibody, based on which we recommend that DFM can serve as a standard screening test for early and rapid diagnosis of leptospirosis.

A case of leptospirosis simulating colon cancer with liver metastases.

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Granito, Alessandro; Ballardini, Giorgio; Fusconi, Marco; Volta, Umberto; Muratori, Paolo; Sambri, Vittorio; Battista, Giuseppe; Bianchi, Francesco-B

2004-08-15

We report a case of a 61-year-old man who presented with fatigue, abdominal pain and hepatomegaly. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen showed hepatomegaly and multiple hepatic lesions highly suggestive of metastatic diseases. Due to the endoscopic finding of colon ulcer, colon cancer with liver metastases was suspected. Biochemically a slight increase of transaminases, alkaline phosphatase and gammaglutamyl transpeptidase were present; alpha-fetoprotein, carcinoembryogenic antigen and carbohydrate 19-9 antigen serum levels were normal. Laboratory and instrumental investigations, including colon and liver biopsies revealed no signs of malignancy. In the light of spontaneous improvement of symptoms and CT findings, his personal history was reevaluated revealing direct contact with pigs and their tissues. Diagnosis of leptospirosis was considered and confirmed by detection of an elevated titer of antibodies to leptospira. After two mo, biochemical data, CT and colonoscopy were totally normal.

DETERMINASI SEROVAR BAKTERI LEPTOSPIRA PADA RESERVOIR DI KABUPATEN BANYUMAS

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Tri Ramadhani

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is an infectious disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira. Leptospirosis transmitted to human through direct contact with body fluids of infected animals or indirectly through contaminated puddles . The prevalence of leptospirosis in Banyumas tends to increase for 3 years. The purpose of this study was to determine the leptospira serovar in reservoir to prove of a current infection. Surveys was conducted using single live traps for three consecutive days, determination of leptospira serovar was conducted using Microscopic Aglutination Test (MAT. Data analysis was performed by univariate and presented in tables and graphs. The results showed that the trapped animals consisted of Rattus tanezumi (70.6% and Suncus murinus (29.4% with 6.5% succsess trap. Rattus tanezumi were dominantly caught inside the house (51% than outside the house (49%. Female rats were dominantly caught (66.7% than male rats (33.3%. Suncus murinus and Rattus tanezumi shown a titer of 1/100 to be infected with L.icterohaemorrhagiae , L.javanica and L.cynopteri which are pathogenic Leptospira in humans. Efforts are needed to improve community participation in preventing tranmission of leptospirosis by avoiding contact with contaminated water and soil. For people who are risk of exposure to infected animal should wear protective clothes or footwear.

SEROPREVALENCIA DE LA LEPTOSPIROSIS CANINA DE TRES MUNICIPIOS DEL DEPARTAMENTO DEL TOLIMA-COLOMBIA

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Marlyn Romero P

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Objetivo. Determinar la seroprevalencia de Leptospira spp. y los serovares dominantes, en caninos de tres municipios del departamento del Tolima, Colombia. Materiales y métodos. Se realizó un estudio epidemiológico trasversal con 900 caninos localizados en 62 barrios de los tres municipios, de los cuales se obtuvieron muestras de sangre durante los meses de junio, julio y agosto de 2007, que fueron procesadas utilizando la prueba de microaglutinación (MAT. En la prueba se incluyeron 5 serovares: hardjo, pomona, grippotyphosa, canicola, icterohaemorrhagiae y bratislava. La prueba se interpretó como positiva por la presencia de una aglutinación ³50 % de las leptospiras con uno o más serovares, en una dilución del suero ³100. Resultados. La seroprevalencia de leptospirosis en la población canina fue del 20.2%. La mayor dominancia fue para los serovares grippotyphosa (82.4% y pomona (8.2%, observándose una baja reactividad ante canicola e icterohaemorrhagiae, 0.5 y 2.2% respectivamente. Se presentaron coaglutinaciones en el 4.3% de los sueros. La seropositividad presentó diferencias estadísticamente significativas cuando se compararon los resultados por sexo y edad (p=0.038. Conclusiones. Los resultados sugieren que los caninos pueden ser posibles reservorios de la leptospirosis en los tres municipios evaluados, siendo necesario realizar estudios que permitan el aislamiento y tipificación de los serovares prevalentes en las zonas endémicas para orientar las medidas de prevención que eviten el riesgo de transmisión de la enfermedad a la población humana.

A case of leptospirosis simulating colon cancer with liver metastases

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Granito, Alessandro; Ballardini, Giorgio; Fusconi, Marco; Volta, Umberto; Muratori, Paolo; Sambri, Vittorio; Battista, Giuseppe; Bianchi, Francesco B.

2004-01-01

We report a case of a 61-year-old man who presented with fatigue, abdominal pain and hepatomegaly. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen showed hepatomegaly and multiple hepatic lesions highly suggestive of metastatic diseases. Due to the endoscopic finding of colon ulcer, colon cancer with liver metastases was suspected. Biochemically a slight increase of transaminases, alkaline phosphatase and gammaglutamyl transpeptidase were present; α - fetoprotein, carcinoembryogenic antigen and carbohydrate 19-9 antigen serum levels were normal. Laboratory and instrumental investigations, including colon and liver biopsies revealed no signs of malignancy. In the light of spontaneous improvement of symptoms and CT findings, his personal history was revaluated revealing direct contact with pigs and their tissues. Diagnosis of leptospirosis was considered and confirmed by detection of an elevated titer of antibodies to leptospira. After two mo, biochemical data, CT and colonoscopy were totally normal. PMID:15285043

Evidência do cão como reservatório da leptospirose humana: isolamento de um sorovar, caracterização molecular e utilização em inquérito sorológico Evidence of dog as a reservoir for human leptospirosis: a serovar isolation, molecular characterization and its use in a serological survey

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Claudiomar Soares Brod

2005-08-01

Full Text Available A leptospirose canina é conhecida como enfermidade de Stuttgard desde 1898, sendo os cães, depois dos roedores, considerados como a segunda principal fonte de infecção para o homem. O isolamento de um sorovar patogênico da urina de um cão, laboratorial e clinicamente identificado como tendo leptospirose, e sua utilização para testar amostras de soro de casos de leptospirose humana e canina, evidenciou a sua importância no ecossistema da região sul do Brasil. Os resultados do teste de soroaglutinação microscópica indicaram que 100% das amostras de soro humano de 12 pacientes do banco de soro de 2001 do Centro de Controle de Zoonoses, que haviam reagido com títulos que variaram de 25 a 3.200 para o sorovar canicola, e 72% das amostras de 105 soros caninos do mesmo banco de soro, também reagiram contra o novo isolado. O título médio e mediana dos soros humanos testados com a bateria de antígenos recomendada pela OMS, foi respectivamente 630 e 100, ao passo que os testados com o isolado foi de 1.823 e 400. Nos soros caninos, os títulos foram respectivamente de 347 e 100 para a bateria e de 1.088 e 200 para o isolado.Canine leptospirosis has been known as Stuttgart disease since 1898, and dogs are considered to be the second principal source of infection in man. The isolation of a pathogenic serovar from dog urine that was diagnosed clinically and laboratorial as having leptospirosis and its utilization to test serological samples of human and canine cases of leptospirosis, has demonstrated its importance to the ecosystem of the southern region of Brazil. The results of the serological microscopic agglutination test indicated that 100% of human serum samples from 12 patients from the serum bank of 2001 at the Center for Control of Zoonoses, that had titers between 25 and 3,200 with the canicola serovar, and 72% of 105 canine serum samples from the same serum bank, also reacted with the new isolate. The mean and median titers of the

Inbred rats as a model to study persistent renal colonization and associated cellular immune responsiveness

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Pathogenic species of Leptospira cause leptospirosis, a bacterial zoonotic disease with a global distribution affecting over one million people annually. Rats are regarded as one of the most significant reservoir hosts of infection for human disease, and in the absence of clinical signs of infection...

[Coinfection of dengue and leptospirosis in a girl from the peruvian amazon].

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Núñez-Garbín, Alexandra; Espinoza-Figueroa, Jossué; Sihuincha-Maldonado, Moisés; Suarez-Ognio, Luis

2015-01-01

We report the case of a 10 year old girl, born and raised in the city of Iquitos in Peru who presented with headache, fever, chills, musculoskeletal pain, mild epigastric pain, epistaxis and hematemesis. On physical examination, the patient was afebrile and in good general condition. Serological tests confirmed infection of dengue and leptospirosis. The patient received intravenous hydration with sodium chloride 0.9% and penicillin G sodium, achieving a favorable clinical course such that she was discharged a few days after admission to the hospital. Although these diseases are common in the Peruvian Amazon, the simultaneous presence of both in the pediatric population is little documented; therefore, a good clinical history and laboratory tests are important for diagnosis and treatment.

Study on the Prevalence of Leptospirosis among Fever Cases Reported from Private Clinics in the Urban areas of Villupuram District, Tamil Nadu, India

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Basker, Parasuraman; Kannan, Pichai; Kolandaswamy, Karumana Gounder

2014-01-01

Objectives To know the prevalence of leptospirosis cases reported in private clinics among fever cases in Villupuram District, Tamil Nadu, India to know its real magnitude of the problem and to diagnose Leptospirosis among fever cases from differential diagnosis. Methods 1502 Blood serum samples collected from three urban towns namely Kallakurichi (Latitude: 11° 73′ N; Longitude: 78° 97′ E), Villupuram (Latitude: 11° 75′ N; Longitude: 79° 92′ E) and Thindivanam (Latitude: 12° 25′ N; Longitude: 79° 65′ E) in fifteen clinics based on case definition of leptospirosis delineated by the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), Government of India. Samples were tested in the laboratory of the Zonal Entomological Team (ZET), Cuddalore with Macroscopic Slide Agglutination Test (MSAT) and Ig-M ELISA. Result There were 65 positive cases detected from 1502 blood serum samples in both MSAT and Ig-M ELISA. It could be known that there was 4% cases contributed from private clinics among fever cases. From this study, further it was known that all age groups of people affected irrespective of sexes based on their living condition associated with the environment prevailed of the disease. Conclusion From this study, it was quantified that 4% of cases reported in private clinics among fever cases and its findings ascertained both the importance of differential diagnosis as well as reports that should be included to the Government for knowing its real magnitude for planning. PMID:24955313

Perilaku Pengendalian Tikus di Daerah Berisiko Penularan Leptospirosis

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Tri Isnani

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Abstrak Tikus merupakan binatang yang mempunyai daya adaptasi dan daya kembang biak yang tinggi sehingga bisa hidup di semua tempat.  Dampak tikus bagi manusia antara lain tikus sebagai hama pertanian dan menularkan penyakit seperti pes dan leptospirosis.  Berbagai pengendalian tikus telah dilakukan baik secara tradisional yang telah ada sejak nenek moyang maupun cara-cara modern.  Tulisan ini mengeksplorasi perilaku masyarakat dalam usaha pengendalian serta faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi dilakukannya cara-cara tersebut.  Penelitian dilakukan dengan metode kualitatif desain deskriptif.  Pengumpulan data dengan wawancara mendalam dan diskusi kelompok terarah pada 5 informan dan 2 kelompok Diskusi Kelompok Terarah (DKT.  Lokasi penelitian di sebuah desa di Nanggulan, Kulon Progo, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta.  Hasil penelitian menunjukkan terdapat beberapa cara dalam pengendalian tikus yaitu gropyokan, burung hantu, lem, racun tikus, pengemposan, menggunakan pewangi pakaian, dengan makanan umpan, kucing, dan dengan slametan.  Ada pengendalian tikus dengan mengusirnya saja atau tidak membunuhnya, dan ada pengendalian dengan membunuhnya.  Terdapat mitos dan kepercayaan terhadap tikus.  Kesimpulan penelitian bahwa perilaku dalam pengendalian tikus dipengaruhi oleh latar belakang pengetahuan dan kepercayaan.   kata kunci :  perilaku; pengendalian tikus; mitos dan kepercayaan

Atypical lymphocytosis in leptospirosis: a cohort of hospitalized cases between 1996 and 2009 in State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Linfócitos atípicos na leptospirose: coorte de pacientes hospitalizados entre 1996 e 2009, Estado do Rio de Janeiro

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Paulo Vieira Damasco

2011-10-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease found in tropical and temperate countries, and its clinical diagnostic confusion with arboviruses (dengue fever, oropouche fever and yellow fever, Brazilian spotted fever, viral hepatitis and hantaviruses has been an ongoing public health concern. The aim of this observational study was to demonstrate an association between findings of atypical lymphocytosis and the progression of endemic leptospirosis. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the demographic, epidemiological, clinical and laboratory aspects of 27 human leptospirosis cases that occurred over a period of 13 years (1996-2009 with no reported epidemic outbreaks in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. RESULTS: The overall mortality rate was 11.1% in our cohort of hospitalized cases. However, there was no mortality among patients with atypical lymphocytosis (OR = 11.1; 95% CI = 1.12-110.9; p = 0.04. Two patients who were in the septicemic phase showed signs of expansion of γδ T cell responses in peripheral blood. CONCLUSIONS: Atypical lymphocytosis may be observed in patients with leptospirosis. Our observations suggest that these atypical leukocyte subsets are associated with partial protection during the disease course of leptospirosis.INTRODUÇÃO: Leptospirose é uma zoonose que permanece endêmica em regiões tropicais e temperadas. A dificuldade no diagnóstico clínico diferencial entre os quadros de leptospirose humana e as várias arboviroses (dengue, febre amarela, febre de oropouche, febre maculosa brasileira, hepatite viral e hantavirose permanece um problema na Saúde Pública. MÉTODOS: No presente estudo, foi realizada análise retrospectiva de características demográficas, epidemiológicas, clínicas e laboratoriais de 27 casos de leptospirose humana que ocorrerem durante um período de 13 anos sem ocorrência de notificação de surtos epidêmicos no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil (1996-2009. RESULTADOS: A mortalidade da

Human-caused Indo-Pacific warm pool expansion.

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Weller, Evan; Min, Seung-Ki; Cai, Wenju; Zwiers, Francis W; Kim, Yeon-Hee; Lee, Donghyun

2016-07-01

The Indo-Pacific warm pool (IPWP) has warmed and grown substantially during the past century. The IPWP is Earth's largest region of warm sea surface temperatures (SSTs), has the highest rainfall, and is fundamental to global atmospheric circulation and hydrological cycle. The region has also experienced the world's highest rates of sea-level rise in recent decades, indicating large increases in ocean heat content and leading to substantial impacts on small island states in the region. Previous studies have considered mechanisms for the basin-scale ocean warming, but not the causes of the observed IPWP expansion, where expansion in the Indian Ocean has far exceeded that in the Pacific Ocean. We identify human and natural contributions to the observed IPWP changes since the 1950s by comparing observations with climate model simulations using an optimal fingerprinting technique. Greenhouse gas forcing is found to be the dominant cause of the observed increases in IPWP intensity and size, whereas natural fluctuations associated with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation have played a smaller yet significant role. Further, we show that the shape and impact of human-induced IPWP growth could be asymmetric between the Indian and Pacific basins, the causes of which remain uncertain. Human-induced changes in the IPWP have important implications for understanding and projecting related changes in monsoonal rainfall, and frequency or intensity of tropical storms, which have profound socioeconomic consequences.

Preventing marine accidents caused by technology-induced human error

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Bielić, Toni; Hasanspahić, Nermin; Čulin, Jelena

2017-01-01

The objective of embedding technology on board ships, to improve safety, is not fully accomplished. The paper studies marine accidents caused by human error resulting from improper human-technology interaction. The aim of the paper is to propose measures to prevent reoccurrence of such accidents. This study analyses the marine accident reports issued by Marine Accidents Investigation Branch covering the period from 2012 to 2014. The factors that caused these accidents are examined and categor...

Risk Factors of Leptospirosis in Khuzestan, South West of Iran, 2012

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Leila Alavi

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Leptospirosis as a common zoonotic disease is the widest spread infection worldwide. Human is infected via direct contact with infected animals or through exposure or drinking contaminated water infected by animal urine. Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for leptospira infection in Khuzestan which is expected to be an endemic area for this infection. Patients and Methods: As part of an investigation on rural area in Khuzestan, this comparative study was conducted in the region. Sixty five cases, which were positive for IgM anti-leptospira antibodies, and 215 controls that were negative for IgM antibodies included in the study. A questionnaire including variables related to leptospira exposure was administered. SPSS-16 using Chi square and Fisher exact test were used to compare data. Differences with P-values less than 0.05 were considered as significant. The 95% confidence interval (CI for the odds ratios (OR were calculated. Results: Occupation in rice farm was the most important risk factors (OR: 5.32, 95% CI = 2.71-10.43, P < 0.0001. Other risk factors were as: exposure to rat/rodent in house (OR: 3.53, 95% CI = 1.98-6.29, P < 0.0001, swimming in river or brooks (OR: 4.02, 95% CI = 2.21-7.47, P < 0.0001 and keeping cattle in house (OR: 11.53, 95% CI = 3.50-37.97, P < 0.0001. Conclusions: The main risk factors for this infection in Khuzestan are rice farming and keeping animals (such as cattle as well as contact to rodent in houses. Another frequent risk factor was swimming in river or brooks.

El endemismo por paludismo, lepra, leishmaniosis y leptospirosis en la provincia de Castellón, a mediados del siglo XX : vivencias personales

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Martínez Urrea, José

2009-01-01

Discurso de inauguración del curso 2009 de la Reial Acadèmia de Medicina de la Comunitat Valenciana por el Ilmo. Sr. Dr. D. José Martínez Urrea: El endemismo por paludismo, lepra, leishmaniosis y leptospirosis en la provincia de Castellón, a mediados del siglo XX. Vivencias personales.

Anos potenciais de vida perdidos e custos hospitalares da leptospirose no Brasil Años potenciales de vida perdidos y costos hospitalarios de la leptospirosis en Brasil Years of potential life lost and hospitalization costs associated with leptospirosis in Brazil

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Verena Maria Mendes de Souza

2011-12-01

linkage of cases and hospitalizations leading to death by leptospirosis in 2007. Within the Information System for Notifiable Diseases, confirmed cases were subdivided into hospitalization and death. These were then linked to the Hospital Information System (records with primary diagnosis and the Mortality Information System (underlying cause of death A27.0, A27.8, and A27.9 databases. The partial cost of hospitalization, deaths by disease, and years of potential life and work lost, were estimated. RESULTS: Most hospitalizations leading to death occurred among males aged 18-49 years, of white ethnicity, living in urban areas, and with incomplete elementary education. Years of potential life lost amounted to 6,490, 75% of which were in the 20-49 years age group. When adjusted for the population, this loss represented 15 days of life/thousand persons. The ratio of years of potential life lost to number of deaths was on average 30 years per death. The estimated financial impact amounted to R$ 22.9 million in non-earned wages. Hospitalization costs totaled R$ 831.5 thousand. Estimated days of wages lost per admission period (median: 6 days amounted to R$ 103.0 thousand. CONCLUSIONS: There was a high social cost in terms of years of potential life lost and partial hospital costs associated with leptospirosis when compared to the possibility of early treatment or prevention of infection, both of which could minimize the impact of the disease on the Brazilian population.

Human Syngamosis as an Uncommon Cause of Chronic Cough

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Pulcherio, Janaína Oliveira Bentivi

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Chronic cough may represent a diagnostic challenge. Chronic parasitism of upper airways is an unusual cause. Objective: To describe a case of human syngamosis as an uncommon cause of dry cough. Case Report: An endoscopic exam performed in a woman suffering of chronic cough revealed a Y-shaped worm in the larynx identified as Syngamus laryngeus. Discussion: This nematode parasitizes the upper respiratory tract of many animals including humans. The diagnosis is performed by the examination of the worm expelled by cough or by endoscopy. Endoscopic exam is easy to perform and is essential in the diagnosis of causes of chronic cough, even uncommon entities. Removal is the only efficient treatment.

Pilot Cross-Sectional Study of Three Zoonoses (Lyme Disease, Tularaemia, Leptospirosis) among Healthy Blood Donors in Eastern Slovakia.

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Zákutná, Ľubica; Dorko, Erik; Rimárová, Kvetoslava; Kizeková, Marianna

2015-06-01

The aim of the study was to determine the seroprevalence of three zoonotic infections among healthy blood donors/volunteers in Eastern Slovakia. Sera from 124 blood donors were investigated for the presence of antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi, Francisella tularensis and Leptospira pomona. The participants also completed the questionnaire about demographic, exposure and epidemiological characteristics. Two serological methods were used for the diagnosis: the enzyme linked protein A/G assay (ELPAGA) and the Western blot (WB). First, sera were screened by ELPAGA (except for leptospirosis). The observed seroprevalence was 15% for Lyme borreliosis (LB) and 4% for tularaemia (TUL). The results were confirmed by WB. Positive IgG antibodies (WB method) were detected only in 1.6% of examined for LB and 0.8% for TUL. Our results did not identify any antibodies against Leptospira pomona agent in the examined healthy blood donors group. ELPAGA seroprevalence for TUL was significantly higher in blood donors working in the agricultural area in the direct contact with hay, straw, manure, and agricultural land. Our outputs determine tick bite as a significant risk factor for LB. The study confirms the explosion of tick-borne diseases in the healthy population of people. The exposure risk for leptospirosis seems to be minimal. Copyright© by the National Institute of Public Health, Prague 2015.

Human-specific HERV-K insertion causes genomic variations in the human genome.

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Wonseok Shin

Full Text Available Human endogenous retroviruses (HERV sequences account for about 8% of the human genome. Through comparative genomics and literature mining, we identified a total of 29 human-specific HERV-K insertions. We characterized them focusing on their structure and flanking sequence. The results showed that four of the human-specific HERV-K insertions deleted human genomic sequences via non-classical insertion mechanisms. Interestingly, two of the human-specific HERV-K insertion loci contained two HERV-K internals and three LTR elements, a pattern which could be explained by LTR-LTR ectopic recombination or template switching. In addition, we conducted a polymorphic test and observed that twelve out of the 29 elements are polymorphic in the human population. In conclusion, human-specific HERV-K elements have inserted into human genome since the divergence of human and chimpanzee, causing human genomic changes. Thus, we believe that human-specific HERV-K activity has contributed to the genomic divergence between humans and chimpanzees, as well as within the human population.

Estimating the probability that the Taser directly causes human ventricular fibrillation.

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Sun, H; Haemmerich, D; Rahko, P S; Webster, J G

2010-04-01

This paper describes the first methodology and results for estimating the order of probability for Tasers directly causing human ventricular fibrillation (VF). The probability of an X26 Taser causing human VF was estimated using: (1) current density near the human heart estimated by using 3D finite-element (FE) models; (2) prior data of the maximum dart-to-heart distances that caused VF in pigs; (3) minimum skin-to-heart distances measured in erect humans by echocardiography; and (4) dart landing distribution estimated from police reports. The estimated mean probability of human VF was 0.001 for data from a pig having a chest wall resected to the ribs and 0.000006 for data from a pig with no resection when inserting a blunt probe. The VF probability for a given dart location decreased with the dart-to-heart horizontal distance (radius) on the skin surface.

Lipidomic analysis of immune activation in equine leptospirosis and Leptospira-vaccinated horses.

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Paul L; Steinman, Margaret; Erol, Erdal; Carter, Craig; Christmann, Undine; Verma, Ashutosh

2018-01-01

Currently available diagnostic assays for leptospirosis cannot differentiate vaccine from infection serum antibody. Several leptospiral proteins that are upregulated during infection have been described, but their utility as a diagnostic marker is still unclear. In this study, we undertook a lipidomics approach to determine if there are any differences in the serum lipid profiles of horses naturally infected with pathogenic Leptospira spp. and horses vaccinated against a commercially available bacterin. Utilizing a high-resolution mass spectrometry serum lipidomics analytical platform, we demonstrate that cyclic phosphatidic acids, diacylglycerols, and hydroperoxide oxidation products of choline plasmalogens are elevated in the serum of naturally infected as well as vaccinated horses. Other lipids of interest were triacylglycerols that were only elevated in the serum of infected horses and sphingomyelins that were increased only in the serum of vaccinated horses. This is the first report looking at the equine serum lipidome during leptospiral infection and vaccination.

Reactogenicidad de la vacuna cubana trivalente contra la leptospirosis humana en un ensayo clínico de fase II

OpenAIRE

Raydel Martínez,; Alberto Pérez; Alberto Baly; Morelia Baró; Reynaldo Menéndez; Aroldo Ruíz; Amelia Urbino López; Manuel Díaz; Marlene Armesto

2001-01-01

Con el objetivo de evaluar la reactogenicidad de la vacuna cubana trivalente contra la leptospirosis humana (vax- SPIRAL) en grupos de voluntarios sanos utilizando diferentes dosis, se realizó un ensayo clínico controlado, aleatorio y a doble ciego. Los voluntarios fueron distribuidos en dos grupos (vacunados y placebos) para evaluar las reacciones adversas en diferentes concentraciones de dosis (0,25 y 0,5 mL). Los síntomas y signos locales evaluados fueron: dolor, rubor, infiltración local,...

Gene expression profiles of immune mediators and histopathological findings in animal models of leptospirosis: comparison between susceptible hamsters and resistant mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsui, Mariko; Rouleau, Vincent; Bruyère-Ostells, Lilian; Goarant, Cyrille

2011-11-01

Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonosis characterized by multiple organ failure and variable host susceptibility toward pathogenic Leptospira strains. In this study, we put the role of inflammatory mediators in parallel with bacterial burdens and organ lesions by comparing a susceptible animal model, the hamster, and a resistant one, the Oncins France 1 (OF1) mouse, both infected with virulent Leptospira interrogans serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae strain Verdun. Histological observations evidenced edema, congestion, hemorrhage, and inflammatory infiltration in the organs of hamsters, in contrast to limited changes in mice. Using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR techniques, we showed that the relative Leptospira burden progressively increased in hamster tissues, while a rapid clearance was observed in mouse tissues. The early regulation of the proinflammatory mediators interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and cyclo-oxygenase-2 and the chemokines gamma interferon-inducible protein 10 kDa/CXCL10 and macrophage inflammatory protein-1α/CCL3 in mouse tissues contrasted with their delayed and massive overexpression in hamster tissues. Conversely, the induction of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was faster in the resistant than in the susceptible animal model. The role of these cytokines in the pathophysiology of leptospirosis and the implications of their differential regulation in the development of this disease are discussed.

[Prediction model of human-caused fire occurrence in the boreal forest of northern China].

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Fu-tao; Su, Zhang-wen; Wang, Guang-yu; Wang, Qiang; Sun, Long; Yang, Ting-ting

2015-07-01

The Chinese boreal forest is an important forest resource in China. However, it has been suffering serious disturbances of forest fires, which were caused equally by natural disasters (e.g., lightning) and human activities. The literature on human-caused fires indicates that climate, topography, vegetation, and human infrastructure are significant factors that impact the occurrence and spread of human-caused fires. But the studies on human-caused fires in the boreal forest of northern China are limited and less comprehensive. This paper applied the spatial analysis tools in ArcGIS 10.0 and Logistic regression model to investigate the driving factors of human-caused fires. Our data included the geographic coordinates of human-caused fires, climate factors during year 1974-2009, topographic information, and forest map. The results indicated that distance to railway (x1) and average relative humidity (x2) significantly impacted the occurrence of human-caused fire in the study area. The logistic model for predicting the fire occurrence probability was formulated as P= 1/[11+e-(3.026-0.00011x1-0.047x2)] with an accuracy rate of 80%. The above model was used to predict the monthly fire occurrence during the fire season of 2015 based on the HADCM2 future weather data. The prediction results showed that the high risk of human-caused fire occurrence concentrated in the months of April, May, June and August, while April and May had higher risk of fire occurrence than other months. According to the spatial distribution of possibility of fire occurrence, the high fire risk zones were mainly in the west and southwest of Tahe, where the major railways were located.

Human parechovirus causes encephalitis with white matter injury in Neonates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verboon-Maciolek, Malgorzata A.; Groenendaal, Floris; Hahn, Cecil D.; Hellmann, Jonathan; van Loon, Anton M.; Boivin, Guy; de Vries, Linda S.

Objective: To assess the role of human parechoviruses (HPeVs) as a cause of neonatal cerebral infection and to report neuroimaging findings of newborn infants with encephalitis caused by HPeVs. Methods: Clinical presentation, cranial ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, and

Lipidomic analysis of immune activation in equine leptospirosis and Leptospira-vaccinated horses.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul L Wood

Full Text Available Currently available diagnostic assays for leptospirosis cannot differentiate vaccine from infection serum antibody. Several leptospiral proteins that are upregulated during infection have been described, but their utility as a diagnostic marker is still unclear. In this study, we undertook a lipidomics approach to determine if there are any differences in the serum lipid profiles of horses naturally infected with pathogenic Leptospira spp. and horses vaccinated against a commercially available bacterin. Utilizing a high-resolution mass spectrometry serum lipidomics analytical platform, we demonstrate that cyclic phosphatidic acids, diacylglycerols, and hydroperoxide oxidation products of choline plasmalogens are elevated in the serum of naturally infected as well as vaccinated horses. Other lipids of interest were triacylglycerols that were only elevated in the serum of infected horses and sphingomyelins that were increased only in the serum of vaccinated horses. This is the first report looking at the equine serum lipidome during leptospiral infection and vaccination.

Leptospirosis in Caspian Sea littoral, Gilan Province, Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Garshasbi, Vahid; Naddaf, Saied Reza; Aghighi, Zohreh; Hassan, Nayerreh; Pooya, Mohammad; Mostafavi, Ehsan

2018-05-01

In Iran, leptospirosis is endemic to Caspian Sea littoral. The disease appears as a seasonal infection mostly affecting people in rural areas involved in farming. We investigated the prevalence of this infection among suspected patients in Gilan Province by an indirect immunofluorescent assay (IFA), and two PCR protocols, a nested-PCR and a real-time PCR (qPCR), targeting rrs and lipL32 genes, respectively. We also identified the common Leptospira species by sequencing a partial sequence of rrs gene. Out of the 128 sera examined by IFA, 25.78% were positive with the antibody titers ≥1/80. The antibody titer in 39.06% of sera ranged from 1/10 to 1/140, and 35. 16% showed no antibodies, all considered negative. Nested PCR and qPCR detected Leptospira DNA in 20.31% and 18.75% of the sera, respectively. The two PCR assays had 98.43% agreement (K = 0.93) and showed an inverse correlation with the IFA titers. Also, three pathogenic Leptospira species, L. kirschneri (n = 10), L. introgans (n = 8), and L. borgpetersenii (n = 2) were identified from the clinical specimens in the study area. In our hands both PCR assays proved very efficient for early diagnosis of illness and could be used in combination with IFA for both diagnosis and epidemiological studies, but nested PCR was cheaper and appeared more appropriate for our laboratories in rural settings. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

First human systemic infection caused by Spiroplasma.

Science.gov (United States)

Aquilino, Ana; Masiá, Mar; López, Pilar; Galiana, Antonio J; Tovar, Juan; Andrés, María; Gutiérrez, Félix

2015-02-01

Spiroplasma species are organisms that normally colonize plants and insects. We describe the first case of human systemic infection caused by Spiroplasma bacteria in a patient with hypogammaglobulinemia undergoing treatment with biological disease-modifying antirheumatic agents. Spiroplasma turonicum was identified through molecular methods in several blood cultures. The infection was successfully treated with doxycycline plus levofloxacin. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Challenges to communicate risks of human-caused earthquakes

Science.gov (United States)

Klose, C. D.

2014-12-01

The awareness of natural hazards has been up-trending in recent years. In particular, this is true for earthquakes, which increase in frequency and magnitude in regions that normally do not experience seismic activity. In fact, one of the major concerns for many communities and businesses is that humans today seem to cause earthquakes due to large-scale shale gas production, dewatering and flooding of mines and deep geothermal power production. Accordingly, without opposing any of these technologies it should be a priority of earth scientists who are researching natural hazards to communicate earthquake risks. This presentation discusses the challenges that earth scientists are facing to properly communicate earthquake risks, in light of the fact that human-caused earthquakes are an environmental change affecting only some communities and businesses. Communication channels may range from research papers, books and class room lectures to outreach events and programs, popular media events or even social media networks.

The terminal portion of leptospiral immunoglobulin-like protein LigA confers protective immunity against lethal infection in the hamster model of leptospirosis

OpenAIRE

Silva, Éverton F.; Medeiros, Marco A.; McBride, Alan J. A.; Matsunaga, Jim; Esteves, Gabriela S.; Ramos, João G. R.; Santos, Cleiton S.; Croda, Júlio; Homma, Akira; Dellagostin, Odir A.; Haake, David A.; Reis, Mitermayer G.; Ko, Albert I.

2007-01-01

Subunit vaccines are a potential intervention strategy against leptospirosis, which is a major public health problem in developing countries and a veterinary disease in livestock and companion animals worldwide. Leptospiral immunoglobulin-like (Lig) proteins are a family of surface-exposed determinants that have Ig-like repeat domains found in virulence factors such as intimin and invasin. We expressed fragments of the repeat domain regions of LigA and LigB from Leptospira interrogans serovar...

A rare cause of acute flaccid paralysis: Human coronaviruses

OpenAIRE

Turgay, Cokyaman; Emine, Tekin; Ozlem, Koken; Muhammet, S. Paksu; Haydar, A. Tasdemir

2015-01-01

Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) is a life-threatening clinical entity characterized by weakness in the whole body muscles often accompanied by respiratory and bulbar paralysis. The most common cause is Gullian-Barre syndrome, but infections, spinal cord diseases, neuromuscular diseases such as myasthenia gravis, drugs and toxins, periodic hypokalemic paralysis, electrolyte disturbances, and botulism should be considered as in the differential diagnosis. Human coronaviruses (HCoVs) cause common ...

Pathogenic Leptospira: Advances in understanding the molecular pathogenesis and virulence

Science.gov (United States)

Ghazaei, Ciamak

2018-01-01

Leptospirosis is a common zoonotic disease has emerged as a major public health problem, with developing countries bearing disproportionate burdens. Although the diverse range of clinical manifestations of the leptospirosis in humans is widely documented, the mechanisms through which the pathogen causes disease remain undetermined. In addition, leptospirosis is a much-neglected life-threatening disease although it is one of the most important zoonoses occurring in a diverse range of epidemiological distribution. Recent advances in molecular profiling of pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira have improved our understanding of the evolutionary factors that determine virulence and mechanisms that the bacteria employ to survive. However, a major impediment to the formulation of intervention strategies has been the limited understanding of the disease determinants. Consequently, the association of the biological mechanisms to the pathogenesis of Leptospira, as well as the functions of numerous essential virulence factors still remain implicit. This review examines recent advances in genetic screening technologies, the underlying microbiological processes, the virulence factors and associated molecular mechanisms driving pathogenesis of Leptospira species. PMID:29445617

Human error as the root cause of severe accidents at nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kovács Zoltán; Rýdzi, Stanislav

2017-01-01

A root cause is a factor inducing an undesirable event. It is feasible for root causes to be eliminated through technological process improvements. Human error was the root cause of all severe accidents at nuclear power plants. The TMI accident was caused by a series of human errors. The Chernobyl disaster occurred after a badly performed test of the turbogenerator at a reactor with design deficiencies, and in addition, the operators ignored the safety principles and disabled the safety systems. At Fukushima the tsunami risk was underestimated and the project failed to consider the specific issues of the site. The paper describes the severe accidents and points out the human errors that caused them. Also, provisions that might have eliminated those severe accidents are suggested. The fact that each severe accident occurred on a different type of reactor is relevant – no severe accident ever occurred twice at the same reactor type. The lessons learnt from the severe accidents and the safety measures implemented on reactor units all over the world seem to be effective. (orig.)

Detection of Leptospira in Rats Trapped from Households in Phraroj Village, Muang Sam Sip District, Ubon Ratchathani Province Using Polymerase Chain Reaction Technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Wongbutdee, Jaruwan; Jittimanee, Jutharat

2016-01-01

Leptospirosis, a zoonotic disease caused by Leptospira, has been a health problem in Thailand for several years. Rats are a major reservoir host for Leptospira, and the people who are usually in contact with environments contaminated with rats' urine are at risk of infection. The prevalence rate of Leptospira infection in rats may result in the spread of leptospirosis in humans. This study aimed to determine the prevalence rate ofLeptospira infection in a total of 28 rats and develop a spatial database for leptospirosis surveillance in Phraroj village in Muang Sam Sip District, Ubon Ratchathani Province. The positions of the households and the rat-trapping area were tagged by using of a Global Positioning System (GPS). DNA samples were isolated fromn rats' kidneys. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was used for the detection of 16s rRNA and LipL32 genes specific to genus and pathogenic Leptospira respectively. All of the data were used to develop a geo-data base by the connection of spatial data and attributed data to be used for query and retrieval. A map of the positions of the households and the rat-trapping area in Phraroj village was created. No rats were found to be infected in the Leptospira survey. There was no trapped rat infected with Leptospira in Phraroj village. This result may involve unreported leptospirosis in patients in this village. The Leptospira survey in rats and the geo-database will be used as a primary resource to support and make decisions about surveillance, prevention, and control of leptospirosis.

Application of grey incidence analysis to connection between human errors and root cause

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ren Yinxiang; Yu Ren; Zhou Gang; Chen Dengke

2008-01-01

By introducing grey incidence analysis, the relatively important impact of root cause upon human errors was researched in the paper. On the basis of WANO statistic data and grey incidence analysis, lack of alternate examine, bad basic operation, short of theoretical knowledge, relaxation of organization and management and deficiency of regulations are the important influence of root cause on human err ors. Finally, the question to reduce human errors was discussed. (authors)

Pathogenic leptospires modulate protein expression and post-translational modifications in response to mammalian host signals

Science.gov (United States)

Pathogenic species of Leptospira cause leptospirosis, a bacterial zoonotic disease with a global distribution affecting over one million people annually. Reservoir hosts of leptospirosis, including rodents, dogs and cattle, exhibit little to no signs of disease but shed large numbers of organisms in...

Liver function evaluation in leptospirosis with colloidal gold 1 9 8 Au

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Walber Miranda Silva

1977-12-01

Full Text Available Eight patients with leptospirosis were studied with colloidal gold 1 9 8 Au. The radiocolloidal hepatic distribution was altered, presenting a non-homogeneous tiver concentration in seven cases, and a minute to moderate splenic visualization in five. Two patients presented doubtful splenic image, and one seemed to be normal. Liver scanning with colloidal gold 1 9 8 Au is demonstra ted to be a good liver function test.Oito pacientes com Leptospirose foram investigados com ouro coloidal radioativo (1 9 8 Au. A distribuição intrahepática do radiocoloide era alterada, apresentando uma concentração hepática não-homogênea em 7 casos, e visualização esp/ênica de mínima a moderada em 5. Dois tinham dúvida quanto à imagem do baço, e um parecia normal. A cintigrafia hepática com ouro coloidai radioativo (1 9 8 Au é demonstrada ser um bom teste de função hepática.

Male infertility and its causes in human.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyamoto, Toshinobu; Tsujimura, Akira; Miyagawa, Yasushi; Koh, Eitetsu; Namiki, Mikio; Sengoku, Kazuo

2012-01-01

Infertility is one of the most serious social problems facing advanced nations. In general, approximate half of all cases of infertility are caused by factors related to the male partner. To date, various treatments have been developed for male infertility and are steadily producing results. However, there is no effective treatment for patients with nonobstructive azoospermia, in which there is an absence of mature sperm in the testes. Although evidence suggests that many patients with male infertility have a genetic predisposition to the condition, the cause has not been elucidated in the vast majority of cases. This paper discusses the environmental factors considered likely to be involved in male infertility and the genes that have been clearly shown to be involved in male infertility in humans, including our recent findings.

Male Infertility and Its Causes in Human

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Toshinobu Miyamoto

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Infertility is one of the most serious social problems facing advanced nations. In general, approximate half of all cases of infertility are caused by factors related to the male partner. To date, various treatments have been developed for male infertility and are steadily producing results. However, there is no effective treatment for patients with nonobstructive azoospermia, in which there is an absence of mature sperm in the testes. Although evidence suggests that many patients with male infertility have a genetic predisposition to the condition, the cause has not been elucidated in the vast majority of cases. This paper discusses the environmental factors considered likely to be involved in male infertility and the genes that have been clearly shown to be involved in male infertility in humans, including our recent findings.

Comparison of Immunoprotection of Leptospira Recombinant Proteins with conventional vaccine in experimental animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Parthiban, M; Kumar, S Senthil; Balachandran, C; Kumanan, K; Aarthi, K S; Nireesha, G

2015-12-01

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira affecting humans and animals. Untreated leptospirosis may result in severe kidney damage, meningitis, liver failure, respiratory distress, and even death. Virulent leptospirosis can rapidly enter kidney fibroblasts and induce a programmed cell death. Thus, it is a challenge for immunologists to develop an effective and safe leptospirosis vaccine. Here, we compared the commercial canine leptospira vaccine and recombinant proteins (OmpL1 and LipL41) with and without adjuvant in terms of immune response and challenge studies in hamsters and immune response studies alone in experimental dogs. The outer membrane proteins viz., lipL41 and OmpL1 of leptospira interrogans serovars icterohaemorrhagiae were amplified. The primers were designed in such a way that amplified products of OmpL1 and lipL41 were ligated and cloned simultaneously into a single vector. The cloned products were expressed in E. coli BL21 cells. The immunoprotection studies were conducted for both recombinant proteins and commercial vaccine. The challenge experiment studies revealed that combination of both rLip41 and rOmpL1 and commercial vaccine gave 83% and 87% protection, respectively. Histopathological investigation revealed mild sub lethal changes were noticed in liver and kidney in commercially vaccinated group alone. The immune responses against recombinant leptospiral proteins were also demonstrated in dogs.

Zoonoses in humans from small rural properties in Jataizinho, Parana, Brazil

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Daniela Dib Gonçalves

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to conduct a serological survey for Lyme diseases, brucellosis, leptospirosis and toxoplasmosis and identify the risk variables related to these zoonoses in humans living in the rural area of Jataizinho, state of Parana, Brazil. A total of 63 rural properties were surveyed. Additionally, 207 serum samples collected from these rural area inhabitants were tested for indirect immunofluorescence (IFI and western blots (WB were performed to detect Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato; a tamponated acidified antigen test (AAT and 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME were used to detect antibodies of Brucella abortus; the microscopic agglutination test (MAT was carried out to detect antibodies anti-Leptospira spp. and IFI was used to find antibodies of Toxoplasma gondii. Two of the samples (0.96% were reactive for Lyme borreliosis, three (1.4% for brucellosis, 25 (12.1% for leptospirosis and 143 (69.1% for toxoplasmosis. Although the town of Jataizinho has a human development index (IDH that was considered to be average (0.733 in the state of Parana, the low social, economic and cultural conditions of the population from small rural properties have resulted in lack of basic information on animal health and direct or indirect contact with the various species of domestic animals, wildlife and ticks have probably contributed to the prevalence levels found. These results show the need for additional regional studies in order to determine the epidemiological characteristics of these diseases as well as their respective vectors and reservoirs so that effective prophylaxis can be administered in the human population.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Recombinant Immunoglobulin-like Protein A-Based IgM ELISA for the Early Diagnosis of Leptospirosis in the Philippines.

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Emi Kitashoji

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is an important but largely under-recognized public health problem in the tropics. Establishment of highly sensitive and specific laboratory diagnosis is essential to reveal the magnitude of problem and to improve treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a recombinant LigA protein based IgM ELISA during outbreaks in the clinical-setting of a highly endemic country.A prospective study was conducted from October 2011 to September 2013 at a national referral hospital for infectious diseases in Manila, Philippines. Patients who were hospitalized with clinically suspected leptospirosis were enrolled. Plasma and urine were collected on admission and/or at discharge and tested using the LigA-IgM ELISA and a whole cell-based IgM ELISA. Sensitivity and specificity of these tests were evaluated with cases diagnosed by microscopic agglutination test (MAT, culture and LAMP as the composite reference standard and blood bank donors as healthy controls: the mean+3 standard deviation optical density value of healthy controls was used as the cut-off limit (0.062 for the LigA-IgM ELISA and 0.691 for the whole cell-based IgM ELISA. Of 304 patients enrolled in the study, 270 (89.1% were male and the median age was 30.5 years; 167 (54.9% were laboratory confirmed. The sensitivity and ROC curve AUC for the LigA-IgM ELISA was significantly greater than the whole cell-based IgM ELISA (69.5% vs. 54.3%, p<0.01; 0.90 vs. 0.82, p<0.01 on admission, but not at discharge. The specificity of LigA-IgM ELISA and whole cell-based IgM ELISA were not significantly different (98% vs. 97%. Among 158 MAT negative patients, 53 and 28 were positive by LigA- and whole cell-based IgM ELISA, respectively; if the laboratory confirmation was re-defined by LigA-IgM ELISA and LAMP, the clinical findings were more characteristic of leptospirosis than the diagnosis based on MAT/culture/LAMP.The newly developed LigA-IgM ELISA is more sensitive than the

Prueba de Elisa indirecta para la detección de anticuerpos IgM para el diagnóstico de Leptospirosis humana

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Manuel Céspedes Z

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Para el diagnóstico temprano de enfermedades con cuadro clínico inespecífico como la leptospirosis, es necesario la confirmación laboratorial mediante pruebas específicas, con la finalidad de que el diagnóstico sea más acertado y rápido. Objetivo: se realizó un estudio comparativo entre la prueba de microaglutinacion (MAT y la prueba de ELISA indirecta estandarizada con un "pool" de antígenos de Leptospira interrogans, para la detección de anticuerpos IgM, en muestras de suero de fase aguda de leptospirosis humana. Materiales y métodos: 40 muestras de pacientes con sospecha clínica y con títulos de 1:100-1:12800 por la prueba de MAT, 80 muestras negativas de pacientes aparentemente sanos con enfermedades como Brucelosis, Sífilis, Tifus murino, Hepatitis B, Fiebre Amarilla, Dengue y Enfermedad de Carrión fueron evaluados por ELISA IgM. Resultados: se obtuvo una sensibilidad de 97,5% y especificidad de 98,75%, no observándose reacción cruzada con otras enfermedades. Conclusión: ELISA IgM validado en el laboratorio es suficiente sensible, específico y de fácil aplicación para el uso como prueba de tamizaje en una infección por Leptospiras con la subsecuente confirmación por MAT.

Use of a New High Resolution Melting Method for Genotyping Pathogenic Leptospira spp.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florence Naze

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonosis that is endemic in tropical areas, such as Reunion Island. The species Leptospira interrogans is the primary agent in human infections, but other pathogenic species, such as L. kirschner and L. borgpetersenii, are also associated with human leptospirosis.In this study, a melting curve analysis of the products that were amplified with the primer pairs lfb1 F/R and G1/G2 facilitated an accurate species classification of Leptospira reference strains. Next, we combined an unsupervised high resolution melting (HRM method with a new statistical approach using primers to amplify a two variable-number tandem-repeat (VNTR for typing at the subspecies level. The HRM analysis, which was performed with ScreenClust Software, enabled the identification of genotypes at the serovar level with high resolution power (Hunter-Gaston index 0.984. This method was also applied to Leptospira DNA from blood samples that were obtained from Reunion Island after 1998. We were able to identify a unique genotype that is identical to that of the L. interrogans serovars Copenhageni and Icterohaemorrhagiae, suggesting that this genotype is the major cause of leptospirosis on Reunion Island.Our simple, rapid, and robust genotyping method enables the identification of Leptospira strains at the species and subspecies levels and supports the direct genotyping of Leptospira in biological samples without requiring cultures.

Evaluation of two novel leptospiral proteins for their interaction with human host components.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Lucas P; Fernandes, Luis G V; Vieira, Monica L; de Souza, Gisele O; Heinemann, Marcos B; Vasconcellos, Silvio A; Romero, Eliete C; Nascimento, Ana L T O

2016-07-01

Pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira are the etiological agents of leptospirosis, the most widespread zoonosis. Mechanisms involved in leptospiral pathogenesis are not well understood. By data mining the genome sequences of Leptospira interrogans we have identified two proteins predicted to be surface exposed, LIC10821 and LIC10064. Immunofluorescence and proteinase K assays confirmed that the proteins are exposed. Reactivity of the recombinant proteins with human sera has shown that rLIC10821, but not rLIC10064, is recognized by antibodies in confirmed leptospirosis serum samples, suggesting its expression during infection. The rLIC10821 was able to bind laminin, in a dose-dependent fashion, and was called Lsa37 (leptospiral surface adhesin of 37 kDa). Studies with human plasma components demonstrated that rLIC10821 interacts with plasminogen (PLG) and fibrinogen (Fg). The binding of Lsa37 with PLG generates plasmin when PLG activator was added. Fibrin clotting reduction was observed in a thrombin-catalyzed reaction, when Fg was incubated with Lsa37, suggesting that this protein may interfere in the coagulation cascade during the disease. Although LIC10064 protein is more abundant than the corresponding Lsa37, binding activity with all the components tested was not detected. Thus, Lsa37 is a novel versatile adhesin that may mediate Leptospira-host interactions. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The 2008 M7.9 Wenchuan earthquake - a human-caused event

Science.gov (United States)

Klose, C. D.

2013-12-01

A catalog of global human-caused earthquakes shows statistical evidence that the triggering of earthquakes by large-scale geoengineering activities depends on geological and tectonic constrains (in Klose 2013). Such geoengineering activities also include the filling of water reservoirs. This presentation illuminates mechanical and statistical aspects of the 2008 M7.9 Wenchuan earthquake in light of the hypothesis of being NOT human-caused. However, available data suggest that the Wenchuan earthquake was triggered by the filling of the Zipungpu water reservoir 30 months prior to the mainshock. The reservoir spatially extended parallel and near to the main Beichuan fault zone in a highly stressed reverse fault regime. It is mechanically evident that reverse faults tend to be very trigger-sensitive due to mass shifts (static loads) that occur on the surface of the Earth's crust. These circumstances made a triggering of a seismic event of this magnitude at this location possible (in Klose 2008, 2012). The data show that the Wenchuan earthquake is not an outlier. From a statistical view point, the earthquake falls into the upper range of the family of reverse fault earthquakes that were caused by humans worldwide.

Molecular epidemiology of pathogenic Leptospira spp. among large ruminants in the Philippines.

Science.gov (United States)

Villanueva, Marvin A; Mingala, Claro N; Balbin, Michelle M; Nakajima, Chie; Isoda, Norikazu; Suzuki, Yasuhiko; Koizumi, Nobuo

2016-12-01

The extent of Leptospira infection in large ruminants resulting to economic problems in livestock industry in a leptospirosis-endemic country like the Philippines has not been extensively explored. Therefore, we determined the prevalence and carrier status of leptospirosis in large ruminants using molecular techniques and assessed the risk factors of acquiring leptospirosis in these animals. Water buffalo and cattle urine samples (n=831) collected from 21 farms during 2013-2015 were subjected to flaB-nested PCR to detect pathogenic Leptospira spp. Leptospiral flaB was detected in both species with a detection rate of 16.1%. Leptospiral DNA was detected only in samples from animals managed in communal farms. Sequence analysis of Leptospira flaB in large ruminants revealed the formation of three major clusters with L. borgpetersenii or L. kirschneri. One farm contained Leptospira flaB sequences from all clusters identified in this study, suggesting this farm was the main source of leptospires for other farms. This study suggested that these large ruminants are infected with various pathogenic Leptospira species causing possible major economic loss in the livestock industry as well as potential Leptospira reservoirs that can transmit infection to humans and other animals in the Philippines.

Spatial distribution of human-caused forest fires in Galicia (NW Spain)

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M. L. Chas-Amil; J. Touza; P. Prestemon

2010-01-01

It is crucial for fire prevention policies to assess the spatial patterns of human-started fires and their relationship with geographical and socioeconomic aspects. This study uses fire reports for the period 1988-2006 in Galicia, Spain, to analyze the spatial distribution of human-induced fire risk attending to causes and underlying motivations associated with fire...

Chrpsomva bezziana, The Cause of Myiasis on animal And Human : Problem and Control

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April H Wardhana

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Myiasis is an infestation of larvae (Diptera into the live host tissue of warm-blooded animals including humans . This disease is often found in tropical countries, particularly in the community with low socio-economic level. From many flies causing myiasis, Chrysomya bezziana is medically the most important agent due to its obligate parasite property and causing economies losses . Some myiasis cases on humans and animals in Indonesia are caused by C. bezziana larvae infestation or mixed infestation with Sarcophaga sp . Sulawesi, East Sumba, Lombok, Sumbawa, Papua and Java islands were reported as myiasis endemic areas . Myiasis cases on animals occurred after parturition (vulval myiasis then is followed by umbilical myiasis on their calf or traumatic wounds, while myiasis on humans are caused by untreated fresh wounds or chronic wounds such as leprosy, diabetes, etc . Besides, nature holes like nose, eyes, ears or mouth are also reported as entry port for those larvae . Clinical signs of myiasis are various and non-specific depends on location of infested part of body, i.e . fever, inflammation, pruritus, headache, vertigo, swelling and hipereosinophilia . There would be serious conditions with secondary infection by bacteria . Myiasis treatment on animals is simpler than humans . Surgical operation is often carried out on infested human part of bodies . Insecticides were used to treat animal myiasis but had raised resistant . Myiasis treatment on humans may be done locally or systemically . Antibiotic broad spectrum or which is suitable with culture and resistance status of bacteria were given for systemic treatment . Chloroform and turpentine with ratio 1 : 4 were used for local treatment . Some of essential oils have also been tested in laboratory as an alternative medicine for both humans and animals myiasis .

Seroepidemiología de la leptospirosis en bovinos con trastornos reproductivos en el municipio de Montería, Colombia

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César Betancur Hurtado

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Se realizó un estudio descriptivo para determinar la prevalencia de leptospirosis en bovinos con trastornos reproductivos de zonas rurales de Montería, Colombia. Se colectaron muestras de suero de 26 toros y 137 vacas procedentes de 28 fincas con antecedentes de problemas reproductivos, los cuales fueron analizados mediante técnica de microaglutinación (MAT para detección de anticuerpos contra Leptospira. Se utilizaron antígenos de los serovares pomona, hardjo, canicola, grippotyphosa e icterohaemorrhagiae. El 41 % de los sueros fue positivo a Leptospira a punto de corte 1:20. Los serovares prevalentes fueron grippotyphosa (29,85 % hardjo e icterohaemorrhagiae (20,8 y 16,41 %. Se realizó una prueba de chi cuadrado (χ2 para establecer relación entre la seropositividad a Leptospira y las variables de sexo, edad, antecedentes de abortos y repetición de servicios de cada animal, así como zona de muestreo y sistema de producción de las fincas. La seropositividad a Leptospira fue de 26,86 % y 29,85 % en los grupos de edad de 3-4 años y de 5-6 años, y del 43,2 % en bovinos ≥ 7 años. La seroprevalencia en vacas abortadas y no abortadas fue similar (35 y 34 %; asimismo, la seropositividad en vacas con y sin repeticiones de servicio fue de 34 y 35 %, respectivamente. El 41,7 % de las fincas con sistema de producción de carne y el 58,2 % con doble propósito fueron positivas a diferentes serovares. Sin embargo, no se encontró dependencia entre la seropositividad a Leptospira y las variables mencionadas (p > 0,05. Los resultados indican una alta seroprevalencia de leptospirosis en bovinos con trastornos reproductivos del municipio de Montería.

Association between Opisthorchis viverrini and Leptospira spp. infection in endemic Northeast Thailand.

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Van, Chinh Dang; Doungchawee, Galayanee; Suttiprapa, Sutas; Arimatsu, Yuji; Kaewkes, Sasithorn; Sripa, Banchob

2017-08-01

Opisthorchiasis caused by Opisthorchis viverrini is an important foodborne trematodiasis in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. Interestingly, the opisthorchiasis endemic region overlaps with an area of leptospirosis emergence. Here we report an association between opisthorchiasis and leptospirosis in Thailand. Of 280 sera collected from villagers living around the Lawa wetland complex in Khon Kaen province, 199 (71%) were seropositive for leptospirosis by immunochromatography. Individuals with O. viverrini infection had a significantly higher rate of leptospirosis than those without (P=0.001). Significant higher leptospirosis prevalence was found in males than females (P=0.002). However, females but not males with O. viverrini infection showed a significantly higher seroprevalence of leptospirosis. Twenty-one of 35 environmental samples from the lake (water, mud and fish skin mucus) were positive for Leptospira spp. DNA sequencing, sequence alignment, and phylogenetic analysis of some positive nested PCR products revealed both pathogenic and intermediate pathogenic strains of Leptospira in the samples. Strikingly, O. viverrini metacercariae from the fish were positive for L. interrogans. These results suggest a close association between opisthorchiasis and leptospirosis. Contact with water, mud or eating raw fish harboring liver fluke metacercariae may be risk factors for Leptospira infection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of polymerase chain reaction and Warthin-Starry techniques to detect Leptospira spp. in kidneys of slaughtered cattle

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Shahrzad Azizi

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease that is caused by Gram-negative spirochaetes, Leptospira species. Affected animals excrete the organism in the urine into the environment and act as a source of infection. Cattle are maintenance hosts for some serovars of leptospirosis and are important in the transmission of the infection to humans. At post mortem examination, affected cattle show white spots in their kidneys but these are not specific for leptospirosis. Sometimes it is necessary that leptospirosis be diagnosed in the carcass. Different direct methods, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR, Warthin-Starry silver stain (WS, immunofluorescence (IF and immunohistochemistry (IHC can be used in order to diagnose leptospirosis in the affected tissues, such as kidney. The main advantage of the WS technique is direct visualisation of the bacteria in the tissue samples. Silver staining is useful for retrospective studies on formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded samples but little information is available on the sensitivity and specificity of the technique. The present study aimed to find a simple and inexpensive method that can be used in any laboratory and that also, if clinical samples are not available, can detect Leptospira in tissue samples post mortem. This study was performed on 19 paraffin-embedded kidneys of slaughtered cows that grossly had focal to multifocal white spots. Leptospirosis was confirmed in these samples with PCR based on the LipL32 gene. Out of 19 PCR positive kidneys, Leptospira was identified in 13 stained samples by WS. The kidneys revealed different grades of interstitial nephritis. No relationship was found between severity of lesions and presence of leptospires in the kidneys. The PCR results on the urine and blood were consistent with matching WS stained kidneys. Out of 13 kidneys that were positive with silver staining, 7 matching blood and 10 matching urine samples were confirmed positive for leptospirosis

Human-Wildlife Conflicts in Nepal: Patterns of Human Fatalities and Injuries Caused by Large Mammals.

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Acharya, Krishna Prasad; Paudel, Prakash Kumar; Neupane, Prem Raj; Köhl, Michael

2016-01-01

Injury and death from wildlife attacks often result in people feeling violent resentment and hostility against the wildlife involved and, therefore, may undermine public support for conservation. Although Nepal, with rich biodiversity, is doing well in its conservation efforts, human-wildlife conflicts have been a major challenge in recent years. The lack of detailed information on the spatial and temporal patterns of human-wildlife conflicts at the national level impedes the development of effective conflict mitigation plans. We examined patterns of human injury and death caused by large mammals using data from attack events and their spatiotemporal dimensions collected from a national survey of data available in Nepal over five years (2010-2014). Data were analyzed using logistic regression and chi-square or Fisher's exact tests. The results show that Asiatic elephants and common leopards are most commonly involved in attacks on people in terms of attack frequency and fatalities. Although one-horned rhinoceros and bears had a higher frequency of attacks than Bengal tigers, tigers caused more fatalities than each of these two species. Attacks by elephants peaked in winter and most frequently occurred outside protected areas in human settlements. Leopard attacks occurred almost entirely outside protected areas, and a significantly greater number of attacks occurred in human settlements. Attacks by one-horned rhinoceros and tigers were higher in the winter, mainly in forests inside protected areas; similarly, attacks by bears occurred mostly within protected areas. We found that human settlements are increasingly becoming conflict hotspots, with burgeoning incidents involving elephants and leopards. We conclude that species-specific conservation strategies are urgently needed, particularly for leopards and elephants. The implications of our findings for minimizing conflicts and conserving these imperiled species are discussed.

Human-Wildlife Conflicts in Nepal: Patterns of Human Fatalities and Injuries Caused by Large Mammals

Science.gov (United States)

Acharya, Krishna Prasad; Paudel, Prakash Kumar; Neupane, Prem Raj; Köhl, Michael

2016-01-01

Injury and death from wildlife attacks often result in people feeling violent resentment and hostility against the wildlife involved and, therefore, may undermine public support for conservation. Although Nepal, with rich biodiversity, is doing well in its conservation efforts, human-wildlife conflicts have been a major challenge in recent years. The lack of detailed information on the spatial and temporal patterns of human-wildlife conflicts at the national level impedes the development of effective conflict mitigation plans. We examined patterns of human injury and death caused by large mammals using data from attack events and their spatiotemporal dimensions collected from a national survey of data available in Nepal over five years (2010–2014). Data were analyzed using logistic regression and chi-square or Fisher's exact tests. The results show that Asiatic elephants and common leopards are most commonly involved in attacks on people in terms of attack frequency and fatalities. Although one-horned rhinoceros and bears had a higher frequency of attacks than Bengal tigers, tigers caused more fatalities than each of these two species. Attacks by elephants peaked in winter and most frequently occurred outside protected areas in human settlements. Leopard attacks occurred almost entirely outside protected areas, and a significantly greater number of attacks occurred in human settlements. Attacks by one-horned rhinoceros and tigers were higher in the winter, mainly in forests inside protected areas; similarly, attacks by bears occurred mostly within protected areas. We found that human settlements are increasingly becoming conflict hotspots, with burgeoning incidents involving elephants and leopards. We conclude that species-specific conservation strategies are urgently needed, particularly for leopards and elephants. The implications of our findings for minimizing conflicts and conserving these imperiled species are discussed. PMID:27612174

Experience with diagnosis of root causes of human performance problems in Indian nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhattacharya, A.S.

1997-01-01

Low capacity factor, in any NPP, is a result of high occurrence rates of significant events. A substantial portion of such occurrences is caused by inappropriate action due to inadequate human performance. To improve human performance we need first to do its evaluation. This paper describes the essential elements of the first basic step in that context: diagnosis or identification of the fundamental causes of human performance problems in Indian NPPs. (author)

Development of the leptospirosis by experimental infection in hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus with Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola, strain LO4, by intact and scratched skin exposures

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Carolina de Sousa Américo Batista

2010-10-01

Full Text Available The establishment and evolution of leptospirosis in hamster (Mesocricetus auratus by experimental infection with Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola, LO4 strain, by intact and scratched skin exposures, having as control the intraperitoneal route, were evaluated. Hundred-twenty female hamsters distributed in two groups according to inoculation route (intact and scratched skin were used. Infectious inoculum was constituted by a pure culture of L. interrogans serovar Canicola (strain LO4, isolated from liver from a slaughtered swine in Londrina, Paraná state and typified by agglutinins adsortion technique with monoclonal antibody kit at the Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The animals were observed twice a day during 21 days. Animals that died were necropsied and kidneys, liver, genital tract (uterus and ovaries and brain were aseptically collected. On the 21st post-inoculation day, surviving animals were euthanized. In these animals, serum samples were also collected by cardiac puncture to antileptospires agglutinins research using microscopic agglutination test (MAT. Fresh direct microscopy and microbiological culture were used for the detection of leptospires. Scratched skin route induced larger lethality when compared to intact skin route, with establishment and evolution of leptospirosis. On the other hand, intact skin route induced renal and/or genital carrier state more frequently. LO4 strain presented low immunogenic power, characterized by soroconversion at the MAT in only one inoculated animal.

Diagnóstico de leptospirosis humana: evaluación de la aglutinación macroscópica en diferentes etapas de la enfermedad

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Norma Bibiana Vanasco

2012-10-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Evaluar la aglutinación macroscópica con antígeno termorresistente (TR como tamiz diagnóstico de leptospirosis humana en diferentes etapas de la enfermedad. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS:La definición de casos se basó en la microaglutinación (MAT, recuento de leucocitos y neutrofilia. Se incluyeron 218 casos confirmados y 242 no casos. Cada muestra del banco de sueros del laboratorio del Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias de Santa Fe, Argentina, de 2008 a 2010, se clasificó según días de evolución en tres etapas: primera (25 días. RESULTADOS: La sensibilidad hallada fue: 71.1, 93.4 y 95.6% para etapas 1, 2 y 3 respectivamente. La especificidad varió de 79.0 a 69.2%. La variabilidad intra e interoperador fue moderada. CONCLUSIÓN: La variabilidad del TR, su baja sensibilidad en la primera etapa y baja especificidad en todas las etapas de la enfermedad sugieren que sería indispensable la incorporación de nuevos métodos diagnósticos de tamiz para la detección precoz de casos en nuestro país, y países donde aún se apliquen este tipo de métodos.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the macroscopic agglutination test using Temperature Resistant (TR antigen as a screening test for the diagnosis of human leptospirosis in different stages of the disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The criteria for case definition were based on the results of the microscopic agglutination test (MAT, leukocyte counts and neutrophilia, resulting 218 confirmed cases and 242 non- cases. Each sample was classified according to the days of the disease progression in three stages: first ( 25 days. The design was cross-sectional observational. RESULTS: TR sensitivity was 71,1% on stage 1. 93.4% on stage 2 and 95.6% on stage 3. The specificity at different stages ranged from 79.0 to 69.2%. Intra and inter-operator variability was moderate. CONCLUSION: TR variability, low sensitivity in the first stage and low specificity found in all stages of the disease, suggest

Acute prurigo simplex in humans caused by pigeon lice.

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Stolf, Hamilton Ometto; Reis, Rejane d'Ávila; Espósito, Ana Cláudia Cavalcante; Haddad Júnior, Vidal

2018-03-01

Pigeon lice are insects that feed on feathers of these birds; their life cycle includes egg, nymph and adult and they may cause dermatoses in humans. Four persons of the same family, living in an urban area, presented with widespread intensely pruritic erythematous papules. A great number of lice were seen in their house, which moved from a nest of pigeons located on the condenser of the air-conditioning to the dormitory of one of the patients. Even in urban environments, dermatitis caused by parasites of birds is a possibility in cases of acute prurigo simplex. Pigeon lice are possible etiological agents of this kind of skin eruption, although they are often neglected, even by dermatologists.

Decreased erytrocyte osmotic fragility during canine leptospirosis Diminuição da fragilidade osmótica eritrocitária na leptospirose canina

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Marcelo L. Santoro

1994-02-01

Full Text Available Erythrocyte osmotic fragility (EOF was carried out in nineteen dogs naturally infected by Leptospira interrogans serovar icterohaemorrhagiae/copenhagi. A decreased EOF was observed, suggesting a modification of erythrocyte components secondary to disturbances that occur during canine leptospirosis, such as renal damage and hepatic disease.A fragilidade osmótica eritrocitária foi estudada em dezenove cães infectados naturalmente pela Leptospira interrogans serovar icterohaemorrhagiae/copenhagi. Observou-se uma redução da fragilidade osmótica eritrocitária, sem a presença de anemia, possivelmente relacionada aos distúrbios hepato-renais que ocorrem nesta patologia.

Leptospirosis: a report on a series of five autochthonous cases in a Greek region.

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Panagopoulos, Periklis; Ganitis, Anestis; Papanas, Nikolaos; Iosifidou, Georgia; Maltsan, Tzelal; Kioutsouk, Serif; Christakidou, Evi; Maltezos, Efstratios

2016-10-01

Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease difficult to diagnose both to the clinic and the laboratory. Many risk factors have been involved, such as planting, hunting, harvesting and butchering or sports, such as rafting. We reported our experience through a period of 20  months and we tried to investigate prognostic factors predicting clinical outcomes. Five male patients were admitted to our Department with a median age of 40  years. Overall, three out of five patients presented to other hospital and were transferred to ours with a wrong or delayed diagnosis. In terms of clinical signs and symptoms, all presented with fever, myalgia, headache and jaundice, whereas conjunctival suffusion was present in 80% of them. Acute renal injury and liver deficiency were diagnosed in all subjects. Acute renal failure management required dialysis in 3/5 patients, whereas renal recovery was achieved soon after clinical improvement. However, clinical awareness and serology are the most important tools for accurate and quick diagnosis in order to administer the appropriate therapy.

Leptospira Seroprevalence and Risk Factors in Health Centre Patients in Hoima District, Western Uganda.

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Dreyfus, Anou; Dyal, Jonathan W; Pearson, Raewynne; Kankya, Clovice; Kajura, Charles; Alinaitwe, Lordrick; Kakooza, Steven; Pelican, Katharine M; Travis, Dominic A; Mahero, Michael; Boulware, David R; Mugisha, Lawrence

2016-08-01

The burden of human leptospirosis in Uganda is unknown. We estimated the seroprevalence of Leptospira antibodies, probable acute/recent leptospirosis, and risk factors for seropositivity in humans in rural Western Uganda. 359 non-pregnant adults visiting the Kikuube and Kigorobya Health Centers were sequentially recruited during March and April 2014. A health history survey and serum were collected from consented participants. Overall, 69% reported having fever in the past year, with 49% reporting malaria, 14% malaria relapse, 6% typhoid fever, 3% brucellosis, and 0% leptospirosis. We tested sera by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) against eight Leptospira serovars representing seven serogroups. Leptospira seroprevalence was 35% (126/359; 95%CI 30.2-40.3%) defined as MAT titer ≥ 1:100 for any serovar. The highest prevalence was against L. borgpetersenii Nigeria (serogroup Pyrogenes) at 19.8% (71/359; 95%CI 15.9-24.4%). The prevalence of probable recent leptospirosis (MAT titer ≥1:800) was 1.9% (95%CI 0.9-4.2%) and uniquely related to serovar Nigeria (serogroup Pyrogenes). Probable recent leptospirosis was associated with having self-reported malaria within the past year (p = 0.048). Higher risk activities included skinning cattle (n = 6) with 12.3 higher odds (95%CI 1.4-108.6; p = 0.024) of Leptospira seropositivity compared with those who had not. Participants living in close proximity to monkeys (n = 229) had 1.92 higher odds (95%CI 1.2-3.1; p = 0.009) of seropositivity compared with participants without monkeys nearby. The 35% prevalence of Leptospira antibodies suggests that exposure to leptospirosis is common in rural Uganda, in particular the Nigeria serovar (Pyrogenes serogroup). Leptospirosis should be a diagnostic consideration in febrile illness and "smear-negative malaria" in rural East Africa.

Leptospira Seroprevalence and Risk Factors in Health Centre Patients in Hoima District, Western Uganda.

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Anou Dreyfus

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The burden of human leptospirosis in Uganda is unknown. We estimated the seroprevalence of Leptospira antibodies, probable acute/recent leptospirosis, and risk factors for seropositivity in humans in rural Western Uganda.359 non-pregnant adults visiting the Kikuube and Kigorobya Health Centers were sequentially recruited during March and April 2014. A health history survey and serum were collected from consented participants. Overall, 69% reported having fever in the past year, with 49% reporting malaria, 14% malaria relapse, 6% typhoid fever, 3% brucellosis, and 0% leptospirosis. We tested sera by microscopic agglutination test (MAT against eight Leptospira serovars representing seven serogroups. Leptospira seroprevalence was 35% (126/359; 95%CI 30.2-40.3% defined as MAT titer ≥ 1:100 for any serovar. The highest prevalence was against L. borgpetersenii Nigeria (serogroup Pyrogenes at 19.8% (71/359; 95%CI 15.9-24.4%. The prevalence of probable recent leptospirosis (MAT titer ≥1:800 was 1.9% (95%CI 0.9-4.2% and uniquely related to serovar Nigeria (serogroup Pyrogenes. Probable recent leptospirosis was associated with having self-reported malaria within the past year (p = 0.048. Higher risk activities included skinning cattle (n = 6 with 12.3 higher odds (95%CI 1.4-108.6; p = 0.024 of Leptospira seropositivity compared with those who had not. Participants living in close proximity to monkeys (n = 229 had 1.92 higher odds (95%CI 1.2-3.1; p = 0.009 of seropositivity compared with participants without monkeys nearby.The 35% prevalence of Leptospira antibodies suggests that exposure to leptospirosis is common in rural Uganda, in particular the Nigeria serovar (Pyrogenes serogroup. Leptospirosis should be a diagnostic consideration in febrile illness and "smear-negative malaria" in rural East Africa.

Comparative ecology of capsular Exophiala species causing disseminated infection in humans

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Song, Y. (Yinggai); Laureijssen-van de Sande, W.W.J. (Wendy W.J.); Moreno, L.F. (Leandro F.); van den Ende, B.G. (Bert Gerrits); Li, R. (Ruoyu); S. de Hoog (Sybren)

2017-01-01

textabstractExophiala spinifera and Exophiala dermatitidis (Fungi: Chaetothyriales) are black yeast agents potentially causing disseminated infection in apparently healthy humans. They are the only Exophiala species producing extracellular polysaccharides around yeast cells. In order to gain

Prejunctional inhibition of norepinephrine release caused by acetylcholine in the human saphenous vein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rorie, D.K.; Rusch, N.J.; Shepherd, J.T.; Vanhoutte, P.M.; Tyce, G.M.

1981-01-01

We performed experiments to determine whether or not acetylcholine exerts a prejunctional inhibitory effect on adrenergic neurotransmission in the human blood vessel wall. Rings of human greater saphenous veins were prepared 2 to 15 hours after death and mounted for isometric tension recording in organ chambers filled with Krebs-Ringer solution. Acetylcholine depressed contractile responses to electric activation of the sympathetic nerve endings significantly more than those to exogenous norepinephrine; the relaxations caused by the cholinergic transmitter were antagonized by atropine. Helical strips were incubated with [/sub 3/H]norepinephrine and mounted for superfusion. Electric stimulation augmented the fractional release of labeled norepinephrine. Acetylcholine caused a depression of the evoked /sub 3/H release which was antagonized by atropine but not by hexamethonium. These experiments demonstrate that, as in animal cutaneous veins, there are prejunctional inhibitory muscarinic receptors on the adrenergic nerve endings in the human saphenous vein. By contrast, the human vein also contains postjunctional inhibitory muscarinic receptors

Cloning and Expression of Leptospira LipL32 Antigen as a Candidate for Rapid Diagnosis

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Nooshin Sohrabi

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Background and Objective: Leptospirosis as an important emerging infectious zoonotic disease caused by spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. Given the low sensitivity and long duration of its culture, the diagnosis of leptospirosis is mainly based on serological methods. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT is considered as the reference method. Because of the complexity of the MAT, there is an urgent need for the development of new reliable and rapid screening tests for leptospirosis. Major leptospiral outer membrane proteins (OMPs, present only in pathologic strains, could be regarded as a good candidate for diagnostic studies. Here we report the cloning and expression of LipL32, as a prominent immunogenic protein, in a prokaryotic system. Materials and Methods: After the amplification of LipL32 gene, it was cloned into the pQE30 vector. The insertion of LipL32 gene into the vector was screened and confirmed with restriction analysis and sequencing. The recombinant plasmid was transformed into E. coli M15 strain, and the expressed protein was identified by SDS-PAGE and western blotting. This recombinant protein with 6× His-tagged sequence was purified using Ni-NTA affinity column chromatography. Results: The results revealed that the selected gene was successfully cloned in pQE30 vector and recombinant protein (rLipL32 of approximately ~32 kDa was produced, purified and confirmed by western blotting. Conclusion: This recombinant protein could be potentially used for the development of serodiagnosis tests for the diagnosis of leptospirosis in humans and animals.

Potent innate immune response to pathogenic leptospira in human whole blood.

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Marga G A Goris

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is caused by pathogenic spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. The bacteria enter the human body via abraded skin or mucous membranes and may disseminate throughout. In general the clinical picture is mild but some patients develop rapidly progressive, severe disease with a high case fatality rate. Not much is known about the innate immune response to leptospires during haematogenous dissemination. Previous work showed that a human THP-1 cell line recognized heat-killed leptospires and leptospiral LPS through TLR2 instead of TLR4. The LPS of virulent leptospires displayed a lower potency to trigger TNF production by THP-1 cells compared to LPS of non-virulent leptospires. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We investigated the host response and killing of virulent and non-virulent Leptospira of different serovars by human THP-1 cells, human PBMC's and human whole blood. Virulence of each leptospiral strain was tested in a well accepted standard guinea pig model. Virulent leptospires displayed complement resistance in human serum and whole blood while in-vitro attenuated non-virulent leptospires were rapidly killed in a complement dependent manner. In vitro stimulation of THP-1 and PBMC's with heat-killed and living leptospires showed differential serovar and cell type dependence of cytokine induction. However, at low, physiological, leptospiral dose, living virulent complement resistant strains were consistently more potent in whole blood stimulations than the corresponding non-virulent complement sensitive strains. At higher dose living virulent and non-virulent leptospires were equipotent in whole blood. Inhibition of different TLRs indicated that both TLR2 and TLR4 as well as TLR5 play a role in the whole blood cytokine response to living leptospires. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Thus, in a minimally altered system as human whole blood, highly virulent Leptospira are potent inducers of the cytokine response.

Seroprevalencia de leptospirosis y características asociadas en agricultores de arroz de una región tropical del Perú

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Jorge O Alarcón-Villaverde

Full Text Available Objetivos . Estimar la seroprevalencia de leptospirosis en agricultores dedicados al cultivo de arroz del valle del Alto Mayo, región San Martín e identificar anticuerpos para los serovares circulantes y los factores asociados a la infección. Materiales y métodos. Se realizó un estudio transversal entre octubre y noviembre de 2010 en una muestra de 254 agricultores procedentes de las once comisiones de regantes del valle de Alto Mayo. Se recolectó una muestra de sangre y se aplicó un cuestionario que incluyó variables sociodemográficas, y características del hogar y del trabajo. Se determinó la presencia de anticuerpos contra leptospira usando la prueba de microaglutinación y ELISA IgM. Resultados. La seroprevalencia determinada por microaglutinación fue del 64,6% (IC 95%: 58,6-70,6. La prueba ELISA IgM fue reactiva en 15,0% (IC 95%: 10,5-19,5. Los tipos de serovar más frecuentes fueron Icterohaemorrhagiae, Autumnalis, Australis , Panama y Grippotyphosa. Los factores asociados independientemente fueron la manipulación de roedores (OR ajustado [ORa] de 7,9, IC 95%: 1,6-37,9, trabajar descalzo (ORa de 2,9, IC 95%: 1,2-6,8 y el sexo masculino (ORa de 4,5, IC 95%: 1,3-15,3. Conclusiones . El valle del Alto Mayo es un área hiperendémica de leptospirosis. Los factores asociados más importantes fueron la práctica de trabajar descalzo y la de manipular roedores en los campos de cultivo. En consecuencia, se recomienda implementar intervenciones que incidan en estos dos factores a fin de reducir el riesgo de infección en los cultivadores de arroz.

Imunodiagnóstico da leptospirose humana através do teste ELISA-IgM, empregando-se diferentes preparações antigênicas a partir de sorotipos prevalentes de Leptospira interrogans Immunodiagnostic of human leptospirosis by ELISA-IgM, employing: different antigenic preparations as from prevalent serovars of Leptospira interrogans

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Marcos Vinicius da Silva

1990-08-01

Full Text Available Realizou-se estudo comparativo de diferentes sorotipos de Leptospira interrogans utilizados na preparação de antígenos empregados no teste ELISA, para a detecção de anticorpos da classe IgM, em amostras de soro na fase precoce e tardia da leptospirose humana. Foram utilizados dez sorotipos, escolhidos entre os que apresentaram maior reatividade na soroaglutinação microscópica (SAM, na cidade de São Paulo. Os cinco sorotipos que apresentaram melhores resultados individualmente no teste ELISA-IgM (canicola, hebdomadis, icterohaemorrhagiae, cynopteri e brasiliensis, foram também estudados em mistura antigênica. Os antígenos não tratados apresentaram maior reatividade do que os antígenos tratados com Triton X - 100 (4% à temperatura de 50ºC, durante 4 horas. O teste ELISA-IgM empregando os sorotipos não tratados, isoladamente, e em mistura antigênica, mostrou-se altamente sensível, podendo ser empregado como teste de triagem para o diagnóstico precoce da leptospirose humana. Outra aplicação do teste é permitir a detecção do início de situações epidêmicas ou de surtos, possibilitando acionar medidas de vigilância epidemiológica.A comparative study among different serovars of Leptospira interrogans was performed in order to prepare antigens to detect IgM antibodies by ELISA in early and late phase of human leptospirosis. Ten serovars were chosen among the most prevalent detected by microscopic seroagglutination (SAM in São Paulo city. Using ELISA-IgM five of them showed better results (canicola, hebdomadis, icterohaemorrhagiae, cynopteri and brasiliensis. These ones were also studied in a pool. The non-treated antigens showed higher reactivity than the Triton X-100 (4%/50ºC/4h. ELISA-IgM using individually or pool of non treated antigens proved to be reliable with high sensitivity and should be used for an earlier diagnosis of leptospirosis, as a trial test. Faster diagnostic elucidation can be useful to detect

Identification of Tenrec ecaudatus, a Wild Mammal Introduced to Mayotte Island, as a Reservoir of the Newly Identified Human Pathogenic Leptospira mayottensis.

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Lagadec, Erwan; Gomard, Yann; Le Minter, Gildas; Cordonin, Colette; Cardinale, Eric; Ramasindrazana, Beza; Dietrich, Muriel; Goodman, Steven M; Tortosa, Pablo; Dellagi, Koussay

2016-08-01

Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonosis of major concern on tropical islands. Human populations on western Indian Ocean islands are strongly affected by the disease although each archipelago shows contrasting epidemiology. For instance, Mayotte, part of the Comoros Archipelago, differs from the other neighbouring islands by a high diversity of Leptospira species infecting humans that includes Leptospira mayottensis, a species thought to be unique to this island. Using bacterial culture, molecular detection and typing, the present study explored the wild and domestic local mammalian fauna for renal carriage of leptospires and addressed the genetic relationships of the infecting strains with local isolates obtained from acute human cases and with Leptospira strains hosted by mammal species endemic to nearby Madagascar. Tenrec (Tenrec ecaudatus, Family Tenrecidae), a terrestrial mammal introduced from Madagascar, is identified as a reservoir of L. mayottensis. All isolated L. mayottensis sequence types form a monophyletic clade that includes Leptospira strains infecting humans and tenrecs on Mayotte, as well as two other Malagasy endemic tenrecid species of the genus Microgale. The lower diversity of L. mayottensis in tenrecs from Mayotte, compared to that occurring in Madagascar, suggests that L. mayottensis has indeed a Malagasy origin. This study also showed that introduced rats (Rattus rattus) and dogs are probably the main reservoirs of Leptospira borgpetersenii and Leptospira kirschneri, both bacteria being prevalent in local clinical cases. Data emphasize the epidemiological link between the two neighbouring islands and the role of introduced small mammals in shaping the local epidemiology of leptospirosis.

Identification of Tenrec ecaudatus, a Wild Mammal Introduced to Mayotte Island, as a Reservoir of the Newly Identified Human Pathogenic Leptospira mayottensis.

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Erwan Lagadec

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonosis of major concern on tropical islands. Human populations on western Indian Ocean islands are strongly affected by the disease although each archipelago shows contrasting epidemiology. For instance, Mayotte, part of the Comoros Archipelago, differs from the other neighbouring islands by a high diversity of Leptospira species infecting humans that includes Leptospira mayottensis, a species thought to be unique to this island. Using bacterial culture, molecular detection and typing, the present study explored the wild and domestic local mammalian fauna for renal carriage of leptospires and addressed the genetic relationships of the infecting strains with local isolates obtained from acute human cases and with Leptospira strains hosted by mammal species endemic to nearby Madagascar. Tenrec (Tenrec ecaudatus, Family Tenrecidae, a terrestrial mammal introduced from Madagascar, is identified as a reservoir of L. mayottensis. All isolated L. mayottensis sequence types form a monophyletic clade that includes Leptospira strains infecting humans and tenrecs on Mayotte, as well as two other Malagasy endemic tenrecid species of the genus Microgale. The lower diversity of L. mayottensis in tenrecs from Mayotte, compared to that occurring in Madagascar, suggests that L. mayottensis has indeed a Malagasy origin. This study also showed that introduced rats (Rattus rattus and dogs are probably the main reservoirs of Leptospira borgpetersenii and Leptospira kirschneri, both bacteria being prevalent in local clinical cases. Data emphasize the epidemiological link between the two neighbouring islands and the role of introduced small mammals in shaping the local epidemiology of leptospirosis.

Is rhabdomyolysis an additional factor in the pathogenesis of acute renal failure in leptospirosis? É a rabdomiólise um fator adicional na patogônese da insuficiencia renal aguda na leptospirose?

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Reinaldo Martinelli

1994-04-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is an important cause of acute renal failure in our environment. Although several mechanisms are implicated, the role of rhabdomyolysis in the pathogenesis of acute renal failure in leptospirosis has not been analysed. Sixteen patients with the diagnosis of leptospiroses consecutively admitted to the hospital were prospectively studied. The disease was characterized by sudden onset in all patients and, at admission, jaundice, conjunctival suffusion and myalgias. Mild to moderate proteinuria with unremarkable urinary sediment was recorded in 37.5% of the patients and abnormal levels of urea creatinine were found in 87.5% and 74.0%, respectively. Increased levels of aminotranspherase were documented in all 12 and CPK in all 10 patients studied. Serum myoglobin levels greater than 120µg/l recorded in 56.2%. A correlation between myoglobin and renal failure or severity of disease, however, could not be established.Leptospirose é uma importante causa de insuficiência renal aguda, em nosso ambiente. Embora vários sejam os mecanismos implicados, o papel da rabdomiólise na patogênese da insuficiência renal aguda na leptospirose ainda não foi analisado. Com esse objetivo, 16 pacientes com o diagnóstico da forma icterohemorrágica da leptospirose consecutivamente admitidos no Hospital Couto Maia, Salvador, Bahia, foram prospectivamente estudados. A doença foi caracterizada por início súbito e, à admissão, ictericia, sufusões hemorrágicas conjuntivais e mialgias. Proteinúria de intensidade média a moderada com sedimento urinário inexpressivo foi observada em 37,5% dos pacientes e níveis séricos elevados de uréia e creatinina em 78,5% e 74,0%, respectivamente. Níveis aumentados de aminotransferase foram documentados em todos os 12 e de CPK em todos os 10 pacientes avaliados para essas enzimas. Níveis séricos maiores que 120µg/l foram observados em 56,2% dos pacientes. Não foram encontradas correlações, entretanto

Does it matter if people think climate change is human caused?

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Joel Hartter

2018-04-01

Full Text Available There is a growing consensus that climate is changing, but beliefs about the causal factors vary widely among the general public. Current research shows that such causal beliefs are strongly influenced by cultural, political, and identity-driven views. We examined the influence that local perceptions have on the acceptance of basic facts about climate change. We also examined the connection to wildfire by local people. Two recent telephone surveys found that 37% (in 2011 and 46% (in 2014 of eastern Oregon (USA respondents accept the scientific consensus that human activities are now changing the climate. Although most do not agree with that consensus, large majorities (85–86% do agree that climate is changing, whether by natural or human causes. Acceptance of anthropogenic climate change generally divides along political party lines, but acceptance of climate change more generally, and concerns about wildfire, transcend political divisions. Support for active forest management to reduce wildfire risks is strong in this region, and restoration treatments could be critical to the resilience of both communities and ecosystems. Although these immediate steps involve adaptations to a changing climate, they can be motivated without necessarily invoking human-caused climate change, a divisive concept among local landowners. Keywords: Climate change, Inland West, Public perception, Telephone survey, Wildfire, Working landscapes

PENCEGAHAN DAN PEMBERANTASAN PENYAKIT-PENYAKIT ZOONOSA NEW, EMERGING DAN RE-EMERGING DI INDONESIA

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Gindo Simanjuntak

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Some important zoonotic diseases in Indonesia are Rabies, Plague, Anthrax, Taeniasis/Cysticercosis and Japanese encephalitis. These diseases are geographycally distributed in some provinces in Indonesia and each disease have its control program. Other zoonoses which are under intensive surveillance are Toxoplasmosis, Leptospirosis, Brucellosis, bovine Tuberculosis and Haemorrhagic Hanta virosis. These diseases have epidemic potential. Plague known foci are in Boyolali Central Java dan Sleman Yogyakarta. In 1987 after 30 years of dormant period an outbreack of plague occured in Pasuruan, East Java with 48 number of cases and 21 deaths. Intensive surveillance on human, rodent and fleas were conducted in three plague foci. Since 1988 no human case of plague is found in Indonesia eventhough antibody against Y. pestis were found positive in human as well as in rodents. Anthrax is distributed geographycally in Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, South Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, West and East Nusa Tenggara and Timor Timur. Skin and intestinal Anthrax types are to be found in Indonesia. In 1990 on outbreak of anthrax occured in Central Java and 7 out of 98 cases were fatal. Of 154 (27.9% out 553 human sera collected from the provinces of West Sumatera, West Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, North Sumatera and North Sulawesi were found positive against toxoplasmosis during the survey conducted in 1995. From the same provinces 152 (19.2% out of 792 animal sera also were found antibody positive against Toxoplasma gondii. There are about 170 Leptospirosis serotypes known in Indonesia. Leptospirosis is geographycally distributed in Central Java, Yogyakarta, West Java, North Sumatera, Riau, Jambi, South Sumatera, Bengkulu, East Kalimantan. Sporadic outbreaks occured in some provinces related to the lack of washing and drinking water in the dry season. Of 10 (1.8% out 154 serum specimens taken from humans in West Sumatera, West Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, North

Sensitive real-time PCR detection of pathogenic Leptospira spp. and a comparison of nucleic acid amplification methods for the diagnosis of leptospirosis.

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Waggoner, Jesse J; Balassiano, Ilana; Abeynayake, Janaki; Sahoo, Malaya K; Mohamed-Hadley, Alisha; Liu, Yuanyuan; Vital-Brazil, Juliana Magalhães; Pinsky, Benjamin A

2014-01-01

Bacteria of the genus Leptospira, the causative agents of leptospirosis, are categorized into pathogenic and non-pathogenic species. However, the benefit of using a clinical diagnostic that is specific for pathogenic species remains unclear. In this study, we present the development of a real-time PCR (rtPCR) for the detection of pathogenic Leptospira (the pathogenic rtPCR), and we perform a comparison of the pathogenic rtPCR with a published assay that detects all Leptospira species [the undifferentiated febrile illness (UFI) assay] and a reference 16S Leptospira rtPCR, which was originally designed to detect pathogenic species. For the pathogenic rtPCR, a new hydrolysis probe was designed for use with primers from the UFI assay, which targets the 16S gene. The pathogenic rtPCR detected Leptospira DNA in 37/37 cultured isolates from 5 pathogenic and one intermediate species. Two strains of the non-pathogenic L. biflexa produced no signal. Clinical samples from 65 patients with suspected leptospirosis were then tested using the pathogenic rtPCR and a reference Leptospira 16S rtPCR. All 65 samples had tested positive for Leptospira using the UFI assay; 62 (95.4%) samples tested positive using the pathogenic rtPCR (p = 0.24). Only 24 (36.9%) samples tested positive in the reference 16S rtPCR (pLeptospira species in 49/50 cases, including 3 cases that were only detected using the UFI assay. The pathogenic rtPCR displayed similar sensitivity to the UFI assay when testing clinical specimens with no difference in specificity. Both assays proved significantly more sensitive than a real-time molecular test used for comparison. Future studies are needed to investigate the clinical and epidemiologic significance of more sensitive Leptospira detection using these tests.

Determine the prevalence of Brucella spp. and Leptospira spp. in blood samples by multiplex polymerase chain reaction collected from cattle, sheep and goats in herds located in provinces of Iran

OpenAIRE

Faham Khamesipour; Shahin Nejat Dehkordi; Taghi Taktaz Hafshejani; Elahe Tajbakhsh; Shahrzad Azizi

2014-01-01

Leptospirosis and brucellosis are common zoonosis that affect many species of mammals mostly causing economical losses. Further, very important fact is huge danger for human and animal health around the world. The purpose of the study is to determine the prevalence of Brucella spp. and Leptospira spp. using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) method, in blood samples collected from cattle, sheep and goats. In this study, a total number of 250 blood samples (5 cc of blood with ethilen d...

[Drivers of human-caused fire occurrence and its variation trend under climate change in the Great Xing'an Mountains, Northeast China].

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Li, Shun; Wu, Zhi Wei; Liang, Yu; He, Hong Shi

2017-01-01

The Great Xing'an Mountains are an important boreal forest region in China with high frequency of fire occurrences. With climate change, this region may have a substantial change in fire frequency. Building the relationship between spatial pattern of human-caused fire occurrence and its influencing factors, and predicting the spatial patterns of human-caused fires under climate change scenarios are important for fire management and carbon balance in boreal forests. We employed a spatial point pattern model to explore the relationship between the spatial pattern of human-caused fire occurrence and its influencing factors based on a database of historical fire records (1967-2006) in the Great Xing'an Mountains. The fire occurrence time was used as dependent variable. Nine abiotic (annual temperature and precipitation, elevation, aspect, and slope), biotic (vegetation type), and human factors (distance to the nearest road, road density, and distance to the nearest settlement) were selected as explanatory variables. We substituted the climate scenario data (RCP 2.6 and RCP 8.5) for the current climate data to predict the future spatial patterns of human-caused fire occurrence in 2050. Our results showed that the point pattern progress (PPP) model was an effective tool to predict the future relationship between fire occurrence and its spatial covariates. The climatic variables might significantly affect human-caused fire occurrence, while vegetation type, elevation and human variables were important predictors of human-caused fire occurrence. The human-caused fire occurrence probability was expected to increase in the south of the area, and the north and the area along the main roads would also become areas with high human-caused fire occurrence. The human-caused fire occurrence would increase by 72.2% under the RCP 2.6 scenario and by 166.7% under the RCP 8.5 scenario in 2050. Under climate change scenarios, the spatial patterns of human-caused fires were mainly

Leptospira interrogans in Rodents from Cape Verde.

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Plata-Luis, Josué; Foronda, Pilar; Martín-Alonso, Aaron; Feliu, Carlos; Alves, Joana; Gil, Horacio; Valladares, Basilio

2016-11-01

Leptospirosis is an important worldwide zoonotic disease that can infect both animals and humans. In most cases, leptospirosis is a nonspecific self-limiting illness, but some patients can develop a severe form with a high mortality. This study was carried out in Santiago Island, Cape Verde, in 2012-2013. A total of 62 wild rodents (Rattus rattus and Mus domesticus) were analyzed. The lipL32 gene, present only in pathogenic Leptospira spp., was amplified by PCR, and 16 samples were positive (25.8%). In both rodent species, Leptospira interrogans was identified. The results show the presence of pathogenic Leptospira in the three localities analyzed in Santiago. The presence of L. interrogans demonstrates a serious health risk for the population, since this species has been associated with the most severe form of leptospirosis, the Weil's disease in humans, a severe infection with jaundice, renal failure, and hemorrhage.

Análise espacial e sazonal da leptospirose no município de São Paulo, SP, 1998 a 2006 Análisis espacial y estacional de la leptospirosis en el municipio de Sao Paulo, SP, 1998 a 2006 Spatial and seasonal analysis on leptospirosis in the municipality of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, 1998 to 2006

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Tatiana Spinelli Martins Soares

2010-04-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Analisar a distribuição espacial e sazonal da leptospirose, identificando possíveis componentes ecológicos e sociais para a sua transmissão. MÉTODOS: Foram georreferenciados 2.490 casos em cada distrito do município de São Paulo, SP, registrados de 1998 a 2006. Os dados foram obtidos do Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação. Foram realizados mapas temáticos com as variáveis taxa de incidência, letalidade, taxa de alfabetização, renda média mensal, número de moradores por domicilio, abastecimento de água e rede de esgoto. Para identificar o padrão espacial (disperso, em aglomerado ou randômico, foram analisadas pelo Índice de Moran global e local. Foi utilizado o coeficiente de correlação de Spearman para testar associações entre as variáveis com padrão espacial em aglomerados. RESULTADOS: O padrão espacial em aglomerados foi observado nas variáveis taxa de incidência de leptospirose, taxa de alfabetização, renda média mensal, número de moradores por domicílio, abastecimento de água e rede de esgoto. Foram notificados 773 casos no período seco e 1.717 no úmido. A incidência e a letalidade estão correlacionadas com as condições socioeconômicas da população, independentemente do período. CONCLUSÕES: A leptospirose está distribuída por todo o município de São Paulo e sua incidência aumenta no período das chuvas. No período seco, os locais de aparecimento dos casos coincidem com as áreas de piores condições de moradia e, durante o período úmido, também aumenta em outros distritos, provavelmente devido à proximidade de rios e córregos.OBJETIVO: Analizar la distribución espacial y estacional de la leptospirosis, identificando posibles componentes ecológicos y sociales para su transmisión. MÉTODOS: Fueron georeferenciados 2.490 casos en cada distrito del municipio de Sao Paulo, en sureste de Brasil, registrados de 1998 a 2006. Los datos fueron obtenidos del Sistema

Cause analysis and preventives for human error events in Daya Bay NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Weigang; Zhang Li

1998-01-01

Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant is put into commercial operation in 1994 Until 1996, there are 368 human error events in operating and maintenance area, occupying 39% of total events. These events occurred mainly in the processes of maintenance, test equipment isolation and system on-line, in particular in refuelling and maintenance. The author analyses root causes for human errorievents, which are mainly operator omission or error procedure deficiency; procedure not followed; lack of training; communication failures; work management inadequacy. The protective measures and treatment principle for human error events are also discussed, and several examples applying them are given. Finally, it is put forward that key to prevent human error event lies in the coordination and management, person in charge of work, and good work habits of staffs

Detection of Anti-Leptospira IgM Antibody in Serum Samples of Suspected Patients Visiting National Public Health Laboratory, Teku, Kathmandu

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Krishna Prasad Dahal

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is a globally distributed zoonosis with varied clinical outcomes and multiorgan involvement in humans. In this study conducted from July 2011 to December 2011, 178 serum samples from patients suspected of leptospirosis were tested by Panbio IgM ELISA at National Public Health Laboratory, Kathmandu, out of which 51 (28.65% were positive for anti-Leptospira IgM antibody. Leptospirosis was more common in people in their 2nd and 3rd decades of their life which together comprised 56.86% of the total positive cases. Most of those tested positive were farmers followed by students and housewives. Both animal contact and water contact seemed to play significant roles in disease transmission. Symptoms were vague with the most common being fever, headache, myalgia, abdominal pain, vomiting, jaundice, and diarrhoea. Life style heavily dominated by agronomical and farming activities in Nepal is conducive to leptospirosis transmission. Leptospirosis seems to be a significant public health problem in Nepal but is underestimated. In resource poor countries like Nepal where laboratories performing MAT or maintaining cultures are rarely available, serological test like ELISA could well depict the scenario of the disease prevalence.

Prevalencia de Leptospirosis y factores de riesgo en personas con antecedentes de fiebre en la Provincia de Manu, Madre de Dios, Perú

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Manuel Céspedes Z

2003-10-01

Full Text Available Objetivos: Determinar la prevalencia de leptospirosis y los factores de riesgo en personas con antecedentes de fiebre en localidades dedicadas a actividades mineras (lavaderos de oro y la prevalencia de infección en perros en la provincia de Manu, departamento de Madre de Dios, Perú. Material y métodos: Estudio transversal analítico. Se tomaron 71 muestras de sangre de personas con antecedentes de fiebre, provenientes de cinco localidades dedicados a la actividad minera, en ellos se evaluaron la presencia de anticuerpos IgM e IgG contra leptospiras en suero por el método de ELISA y la prueba de microaglutinación (MAT. Los factores asociados a la infección por leptospiras fue evaluada a partir de una encuesta. Además se tomaron muestras de sangre a 27 perros que evaluados por el método de MAT Resultados: Se enrolaron 71 personas de las cuales 47 (66,2% fueron mujeres y 24 (33,8 % varones, 26 (36,6% pobladores presentaron anticuerpos contra leptospiras. Los factores asociados a la infección por leptospiras en los pobladores fueron: consumo de agua de río en el hogar (OR=9,09 p=0,017, consumo de agua de río en el campo (OR=7,13 p=0,042, nadar en el río (OR=4,60 p=0,13, habitar en una vivienda con techo de plástico y paja (OR=4,04 p=0,013. En canes, 18 (66,6% tuvieron serología positiva a leptospiras. Conclusiones: Existe una alta prevalencia de leptospirosis en personas con antecedentes de fiebre y condiciones favorables para la presencia de leptospiras en las localidades estudiadas. En estas zonas se recomienda realizar actividades educativas preventivas, tomando en cuenta los factores de riesgo identificados.

Environmental factors in causing human cancers: emphasis on tumorigenesis.

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Sankpal, Umesh T; Pius, Hima; Khan, Moeez; Shukoor, Mohammed I; Maliakal, Pius; Lee, Chris M; Abdelrahim, Maen; Connelly, Sarah F; Basha, Riyaz

2012-10-01

The environment and dietary factors play an essential role in the etiology of cancer. Environmental component is implicated in ~80 % of all cancers; however, the causes for certain cancers are still unknown. The potential players associated with various cancers include chemicals, heavy metals, diet, radiation, and smoking. Lifestyle habits such as smoking and alcohol consumption, exposure to certain chemicals (e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, organochlorines), metals and pesticides also pose risk in causing human cancers. Several studies indicated a strong association of lung cancer with the exposure to tobacco products and asbestos. The contribution of excessive sunlight, radiation, occupational exposure (e.g., painting, coal, and certain metals) is also well established in cancer. Smoking, excessive alcohol intake, consumption of an unhealthy diet, and lack of physical activity can act as risk factors for cancer and also impact the prognosis. Even though the environmental disposition is linked to cancer, the level and duration of carcinogen-exposure and associated cellular and biochemical aspects determine the actual risk. Modulations in metabolism and DNA adduct formation are considered central mechanisms in environmental carcinogenesis. This review describes the major environmental contributors in causing cancer with an emphasis on molecular aspects associated with environmental disposition in carcinogenesis.

MortalityPredictors.org: a manually-curated database of published biomarkers of human all-cause mortality.

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Peto, Maximus V; De la Guardia, Carlos; Winslow, Ksenia; Ho, Andrew; Fortney, Kristen; Morgen, Eric

2017-08-31

Biomarkers of all-cause mortality are of tremendous clinical and research interest. Because of the long potential duration of prospective human lifespan studies, such biomarkers can play a key role in quantifying human aging and quickly evaluating any potential therapies. Decades of research into mortality biomarkers have resulted in numerous associations documented across hundreds of publications. Here, we present MortalityPredictors.org , a manually-curated, publicly accessible database, housing published, statistically-significant relationships between biomarkers and all-cause mortality in population-based or generally healthy samples. To gather the information for this database, we searched PubMed for appropriate research papers and then manually curated relevant data from each paper. We manually curated 1,576 biomarker associations, involving 471 distinct biomarkers. Biomarkers ranged in type from hematologic (red blood cell distribution width) to molecular (DNA methylation changes) to physical (grip strength). Via the web interface, the resulting data can be easily browsed, searched, and downloaded for further analysis. MortalityPredictors.org provides comprehensive results on published biomarkers of human all-cause mortality that can be used to compare biomarkers, facilitate meta-analysis, assist with the experimental design of aging studies, and serve as a central resource for analysis. We hope that it will facilitate future research into human mortality and aging.

Hydrostatic Pressure Does Not Cause Detectable Changes in Survival of Human Retinal Ganglion Cells

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Osborne, Andrew; Aldarwesh, Amal; Rhodes, Jeremy D.; Broadway, David C.; Everitt, Claire; Sanderson, Julie

2015-01-01

Purpose Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is a major risk factor for glaucoma. One consequence of raised IOP is that ocular tissues are subjected to increased hydrostatic pressure (HP). The effect of raised HP on stress pathway signaling and retinal ganglion cell (RGC) survival in the human retina was investigated. Methods A chamber was designed to expose cells to increased HP (constant and fluctuating). Accurate pressure control (10-100mmHg) was achieved using mass flow controllers. Human organotypic retinal cultures (HORCs) from donor eyes (pressure for 24 or 48h caused no loss of structural integrity, LDH release, decrease in RGC marker expression (THY-1) or loss of RGCs compared with controls. In addition, there was no increase in TUNEL-positive NeuN-labelled cells at either time-point indicating no increase in apoptosis of RGCs. OGD increased apoptosis, reduced RGC marker expression and RGC number and caused elevated LDH release at 24h. p38 and JNK phosphorylation remained unchanged in HORCs exposed to fluctuating pressure (10-100mmHg; 1 cycle/min) for 15, 30, 60 and 90min durations, whereas OGD (3h) increased activation of p38 and JNK, remaining elevated for 90min post-OGD. Conclusions Directly applied HP had no detectable impact on RGC survival and stress-signalling in HORCs. Simulated ischemia, however, activated stress pathways and caused RGC death. These results show that direct HP does not cause degeneration of RGCs in the ex vivo human retina. PMID:25635827

First serologic evidence of human hantavirus infection in Alagoas State in Northeastern Brazil

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José Alfredo dos Santos-Júnior

Full Text Available Abstract INTRODUCTION: Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS is rare in Northeastern Brazil. METHODS: Prospective surveillance was conducted over a two-year period in Alagoas State, Northeastern Brazil. The prevalence of anti-hantavirus N-antigen IgM and IgG in human serum samples was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay testing. RESULTS: High avidity IgG was found in nine of 476 serum samples tested (from 102 patients with clinical manifestations compatible with HCPS, 124 patients with leptospirosis, and 250 healthy rural workers. CONCLUSIONS: Serologic evidence of past hantavirus infection in residents of Alagoas State indicates that hantaviruses are present in northeastern Brazil, even in areas silent for HCPS.

Prospective study of leptospirosis transmission in an urban slum community: role of poor environment in repeated exposures to the Leptospira agent.

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Felzemburgh, Ridalva D M; Ribeiro, Guilherme S; Costa, Federico; Reis, Renato B; Hagan, José E; Melendez, Astrid X T O; Fraga, Deborah; Santana, Francisco S; Mohr, Sharif; dos Santos, Balbino L; Silva, Adriano Q; Santos, Andréia C; Ravines, Romy R; Tassinari, Wagner S; Carvalho, Marília S; Reis, Mitermayer G; Ko, Albert I

2014-01-01

Leptospirosis has emerged as an urban health problem as slum settlements have rapidly spread worldwide and created conditions for rat-borne transmission. Prospective studies have not been performed to determine the disease burden, identify risk factors for infection and provide information needed to guide interventions in these marginalized communities. We enrolled and followed a cohort of 2,003 residents from a slum community in the city of Salvador, Brazil. Baseline and one-year serosurveys were performed to identify primary and secondary Leptospira infections, defined as respectively, seroconversion and four-fold rise in microscopic agglutination titers. We used multinomial logistic regression models to evaluate risk exposures for acquiring primary and secondary infection. A total of 51 Leptospira infections were identified among 1,585 (79%) participants who completed the one-year follow-up protocol. The crude infection rate was 37.8 per 1,000 person-years. The secondary infection rate was 2.3 times higher than that of primary infection rate (71.7 and 31.1 infections per 1,000 person-years, respectively). Male gender (OR 2.88; 95% CI 1.40-5.91) and lower per capita household income (OR 0.54; 95% CI, 0.30-0.98 for an increase of $1 per person per day) were independent risk factors for primary infection. In contrast, the 15-34 year age group (OR 10.82, 95% CI 1.38-85.08), and proximity of residence to an open sewer (OR 0.95; 0.91-0.99 for an increase of 1 m distance) were significant risk factors for secondary infection. This study found that slum residents had high risk (>3% per year) for acquiring a Leptospira infection. Re-infection is a frequent event and occurs in regions of slum settlements that are in proximity to open sewers. Effective prevention of leptospirosis will therefore require interventions that address the infrastructure deficiencies that contribute to repeated exposures among slum inhabitants.

Risk factors associated to leptospirosis in dogs in Londrina City - PR/ Fatores de risco associados à leptospirose em cães do município de Londrina-PR

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Julio Cesar de Freitas

2003-05-01

Full Text Available Leptosporosis is a re-emergent zoonosis associated to close contact between man and dogs. It is important to determine whether the canine leptospirosis risk factors are similar to those of man or are variables exclusive to the species habitat and management. The objective of this study was to identify the individual and environmental variables most frequently associated with seropositive dogs attended in the Veterinary Hospital at Londrina State University. One hundred and sixty dogs of both sexes not vaccinated against leptospirosis were studied over a 13-month period (march 1997 to april 1998. All the animals were submitted to the microscopic aglutination test and to the direct urine test. An epidemiological questionnaire filled out for each one to investigate variables that could be associated with this infection and the results obtained were submitted to the c2 test. Antibody titers ³ 100 were detected in 40 dogs and were more frequent against the pyrogenes serovar (45,00%. Twenty-four animals were positive in the direct urine test. The analysis of the variables pointed as a risk factor for canine leptospirosis the habit of hunting rodent (OR = 4.22, 1.89£IC95%£9.50, the presence of flooded areas near the houses (OR = 2.86, 1.32£IC95%£6.22 and access to the street (OR = 2.57, 1.19£ IC95%£5.59. The results serve as a warning about the possibility of human exposure to some risk factors that these dogs are exposed to.A leptospirose é uma zoonose reemergente associada ao convívio próximo entre o cão e o homem. É importante determinar se os fatores de risco da leptospirose canina são semelhantes aos do homem, ou são variáveis exclusivas ao hábito e manejo da espécie. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram identificar variáveis individuais e ambientais, associadas a maior freqüência de cães soropositivos para leptospira, atendidos no Hospital Veterinário da Universidade Estadual de Londrina. Foram estudados 160 cães de ambos os

A Murine Herpesvirus Closely Related to Ubiquitous Human Herpesviruses Causes T-Cell Depletion.

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Patel, Swapneel J; Zhao, Guoyan; Penna, Vinay R; Park, Eugene; Lauron, Elvin J; Harvey, Ian B; Beatty, Wandy L; Plougastel-Douglas, Beatrice; Poursine-Laurent, Jennifer; Fremont, Daved H; Wang, David; Yokoyama, Wayne M

2017-05-01

The human roseoloviruses human herpesvirus 6A (HHV-6A), HHV-6B, and HHV-7 comprise the Roseolovirus genus of the human Betaherpesvirinae subfamily. Infections with these viruses have been implicated in many diseases; however, it has been challenging to establish infections with roseoloviruses as direct drivers of pathology, because they are nearly ubiquitous and display species-specific tropism. Furthermore, controlled study of infection has been hampered by the lack of experimental models, and until now, a mouse roseolovirus has not been identified. Herein we describe a virus that causes severe thymic necrosis in neonatal mice, characterized by a loss of CD4 + T cells. These phenotypes resemble those caused by the previously described mouse thymic virus (MTV), a putative herpesvirus that has not been molecularly characterized. By next-generation sequencing of infected tissue homogenates, we assembled a contiguous 174-kb genome sequence containing 128 unique predicted open reading frames (ORFs), many of which were most closely related to herpesvirus genes. Moreover, the structure of the virus genome and phylogenetic analysis of multiple genes strongly suggested that this virus is a betaherpesvirus more closely related to the roseoloviruses, HHV-6A, HHV-6B, and HHV-7, than to another murine betaherpesvirus, mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV). As such, we have named this virus murine roseolovirus (MRV) because these data strongly suggest that MRV is a mouse homolog of HHV-6A, HHV-6B, and HHV-7. IMPORTANCE Herein we describe the complete genome sequence of a novel murine herpesvirus. By sequence and phylogenetic analyses, we show that it is a betaherpesvirus most closely related to the roseoloviruses, human herpesviruses 6A, 6B, and 7. These data combined with physiological similarities with human roseoloviruses collectively suggest that this virus is a murine roseolovirus (MRV), the first definitively described rodent roseolovirus, to our knowledge. Many biological and

Discovery and Characterization of Human-Urine Utilization by Asymptomatic-Bacteriuria-Causing Streptococcus agalactiae.

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Ipe, Deepak S; Ben Zakour, Nouri L; Sullivan, Matthew J; Beatson, Scott A; Ulett, Kimberly B; Benjamin, William H; Davies, Mark R; Dando, Samantha J; King, Nathan P; Cripps, Allan W; Schembri, Mark A; Dougan, Gordon; Ulett, Glen C

2016-01-01

Streptococcus agalactiae causes both symptomatic cystitis and asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU); however, growth characteristics of S. agalactiae in human urine have not previously been reported. Here, we describe a phenotype of robust growth in human urine observed in ABU-causing S. agalactiae (ABSA) that was not seen among uropathogenic S. agalactiae (UPSA) strains isolated from patients with acute cystitis. In direct competition assays using pooled human urine inoculated with equal numbers of a prototype ABSA strain, designated ABSA 1014, and any one of several UPSA strains, measurement of the percentage of each strain recovered over time showed a markedly superior fitness of ABSA 1014 for urine growth. Comparative phenotype profiling of ABSA 1014 and UPSA strain 807, isolated from a patient with acute cystitis, using metabolic arrays of >2,500 substrates and conditions revealed unique and specific l-malic acid catabolism in ABSA 1014 that was absent in UPSA 807. Whole-genome sequencing also revealed divergence in malic enzyme-encoding genes between the strains predicted to impact the activity of the malate metabolic pathway. Comparative growth assays in urine comparing wild-type ABSA and gene-deficient mutants that were functionally inactivated for the malic enzyme metabolic pathway by targeted disruption of the maeE or maeK gene in ABSA demonstrated attenuated growth of the mutants in normal human urine as well as synthetic human urine containing malic acid. We conclude that some S. agalactiae strains can grow in human urine, and this relates in part to malic acid metabolism, which may affect the persistence or progression of S. agalactiae ABU. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Microbiological diagnosis of infections caused by Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in humans

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Natalia Rokosz

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are Gram-negative, microaerophilic bacteria which are worldwide in distribution, causing a zoonotic disease in humans called campylobacteriosis. These infections are mainly caused by eating contaminated food products, most often improperly prepared poultry meat. Campylobacteriosis usually takes the form of gastroenteritis, or inflammation of the intestines, and the characteristic symptoms are watery-mucous diarrhea often with the presence of blood in stool, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and fever. The epidemiological data suggest that in Europe, as well as in North America, bacteria of the genus Campylobacter, especially C. jejuni and C. coli, are the most commonly isolated pathogens in infections of the gastrointestinal tract in humans. Epidemiological data indicate that these organisms are a much more common cause of acute diarrhea, mostly in young children, than Salmonella and Yersinia. The lack of specific symptoms makes the diagnosis of campylobacteriosis necessary to carry out specialized microbiological diagnostics. Because so far these studies are performed in our country only in a few laboratories, the overwhelming number of cases of campylobacteriosis are not recorded in Polish epidemiological statistics. The purpose of this paper is to discuss issues related to the microbiological diagnosis of infections caused by C. jejuni and C. coli. It also describes the basic epidemiological and clinical data, as well as current treatment of campylobacteriosis.

Rat infestation associated with environmental deficiencies in an urban slum community with high risk of leptospirosis transmission.

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Santos, Norlan de Jesus; Sousa, Erica; Reis, Mitermayer G; Ko, Albert I; Costa, Federico

2017-03-09

We analyzed environmental factors that provide food, water and harborage to rodents and the risk of household rodent infestation in a slum community with a high risk of leptospirosis transmission. Detailed environmental surveys were performed in 221 households. Multivariate regression models evaluated the association between rodent infestation and socioeconomic status and environmental attributes obtained from Geographical Information System surveys. The general household infestation rate was 45.9%. Rattus norvegicus signs were the most prevalent, present in 74% of the infested households. The risk for rodent infestation was associated with environmental factors supporting harborage for rats, such as dilapidated fences/walls (OR: 8.95; 95%CI: 2.42-33.12) and households built on an earthen slope (OR: 4.68; 95%CI: 2.23-9.81). An increase of 1 meter from the nearest sewer was associated with a 3% (95%CI: 1%-5%) decrease in the risk of rodent infestation. A lack of sanitation where poor people live provides factors for rat infestation and could the target of educational interventions.

Human parasitic meningitis caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection in Taiwan.

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Tsai, Hung-Chin; Chen, Yao-Shen; Yen, Chuan-Min

2013-06-01

The major cause of eosinophilic meningitis in Taiwan is Angiostrongylus cantonensis. Humans are infected by ingesting terrestrial and freshwater snails and slugs. In 1998 and 1999, two outbreaks of eosinophilic meningitis caused by A. cantonensis infection were reported among 17 adult male immigrant Thai laborers who had eaten raw golden apple snails (Pomacea canaliculata). Another outbreak associated with consuming a health drink consisting of raw vegetable juice was reported in 2001. These adult cases differed from reports in the 1970s and 1980s, in which most of the cases were in children. With improvements in public health and education of foreign laborers, there have since been only sporadic cases in Taiwan. Review of clinical research indicates inconsistent association of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) results with clinical features of eosinophilic meningitis. MRI features were nonspecific but there was an association between the presence of high brain MRI signal intensities and severity of peripheral and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) eosinophilia. Inflammatory markers have been identified in the CSF of patients with eosinophilic meningitis caused by A. cantonensis infection, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and the matrix metalloproteinase system may be associated with blood-brain barrier disruption. Eosinophilic meningitis caused by A. cantonensis infection is not a reportable disease in Taiwan. It is important that a public advisory and education program be developed to reduce future accidental infection.

Human parechovirus type 3 infection: Cause of apnea in infants born prematurely.

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Nirei, Jun; Aizawa, Yuta; Okazaki, Minoru; Kobayashi, Akira; Onozuka, Junya; Numata, Osamu; Oishi, Tomohiro; Saitoh, Akihiko

2016-05-01

Four infants born prematurely presented with multiple apnea episodes caused by human parechovirus type 3 (HPeV3) infection. All patients required oxygen supplementation, and one patient required mechanical ventilation. HPeV3 infection might be included in the differential diagnosis of apnea in neonates and young infants, especially those born prematurely. © 2016 Japan Pediatric Society.

Human Babesiosis Caused by Babesia duncani Has Widespread Distribution across Canada

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John D. Scott

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Human babesiosis caused by Babesia duncani is an emerging infectious disease in Canada. This malaria-like illness is brought about by a protozoan parasite infecting red blood cells. Currently, controversy surrounds which tick species are vectors of B. duncani. Since the availability of a serological or molecular test in Canada for B. duncani has been limited, we conducted a seven-year surveillance study (2011–2017 to ascertain the occurrence and geographic distribution of B. duncani infection country-wide. Surveillance case data for human B. duncani infections were collected by contacting physicians and naturopathic physicians in the United States and Canada who specialize in tick-borne diseases. During the seven-year period, 1119 cases were identified. The presence of B. duncani infections was widespread across Canada, with the highest occurrence in the Pacific coast region. Patients with human babesiosis may be asymptomatic, but as this parasitemia progresses, symptoms range from mild to fatal. Donors of blood, plasma, living tissues, and organs may unknowingly be infected with this piroplasm and are contributing to the spread of this zoonosis. Our data show that greater awareness of human babesiosis is needed in Canada, and the imminent threat to the security of the Canadian blood supply warrants further investigation. Based on our epidemiological findings, human babesiosis should be a nationally notifiable disease in Canada. Whenever a patient has a tick bite, health practitioners must watch for B. duncani infections, and include human babesiosis in their differential diagnosis.

Human Babesiosis Caused by Babesia duncani Has Widespread Distribution across Canada.

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Scott, John D; Scott, Catherine M

2018-05-17

Human babesiosis caused by Babesia duncani is an emerging infectious disease in Canada. This malaria-like illness is brought about by a protozoan parasite infecting red blood cells. Currently, controversy surrounds which tick species are vectors of B. duncani. Since the availability of a serological or molecular test in Canada for B. duncani has been limited, we conducted a seven-year surveillance study (2011⁻2017) to ascertain the occurrence and geographic distribution of B. duncani infection country-wide. Surveillance case data for human B. duncani infections were collected by contacting physicians and naturopathic physicians in the United States and Canada who specialize in tick-borne diseases. During the seven-year period, 1119 cases were identified. The presence of B. duncani infections was widespread across Canada, with the highest occurrence in the Pacific coast region. Patients with human babesiosis may be asymptomatic, but as this parasitemia progresses, symptoms range from mild to fatal. Donors of blood, plasma, living tissues, and organs may unknowingly be infected with this piroplasm and are contributing to the spread of this zoonosis. Our data show that greater awareness of human babesiosis is needed in Canada, and the imminent threat to the security of the Canadian blood supply warrants further investigation. Based on our epidemiological findings, human babesiosis should be a nationally notifiable disease in Canada. Whenever a patient has a tick bite, health practitioners must watch for B. duncani infections, and include human babesiosis in their differential diagnosis.

Meningitis caused by Rhodotorula rubra in an human immunodeficiency virus infected patient

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Thakur K

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Rhodotorula spp . are common saprophytes but may be responsible for systemic infections in immunocompromised patients. Meningitis caused by Rhodotorula spp. in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infected patients has been reported only rarely. We present a case of meningitis caused by Rhodotorula rubra in HIV infected patient. The presumptive diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis was made on the basis of India ink preparation, Gram staining and latex agglutination test (LAT for cryptococcal antigen. The final diagnosis was confirmed by isolation of Rhodotorula rubra from cerebrospinal fluid on culture. LAT was considered false positive. Amphotericin B and 5-fluorocytosine were administered but the patient succumbed to his illness.

AFSC/NMML: Known human-caused marine mammal injury and mortalities from 2007 to present

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is required under the MMPA to estimate the annual human-caused mortality and serious injury of marine mammal stocks by...

Coinfección por dengue y leptospirosis en una niña de la amazonía peruana

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Alexandra Núñez-Garbín

Full Text Available Se reporta el caso de una niña de 10 años, natural y procedente de la ciudad de Iquitos en Perú que presentó cefalea, fiebre, escalofríos, dolor osteomuscular, leve dolor en epigastrio, epistaxis y hematemesis. Al examen físico la paciente se encontraba afebril y en regular estado general. Por medio de pruebas serológicas se confirmó la infección por dengue y leptospirosis. La paciente recibió hidratación endovenosa con cloruro de sodio al 0,9% y penicilina G sódica, logrando una evolución clínica favorable por lo que fue dada de alta a los pocos días de su ingreso al hospital. Aunque estas dos enfermedades son comunes en la Amazonía peruana, la presencia simultánea de ambas en la población pediátrica es poco documentada; por ello, una buena historia clínica y exámenes de laboratorio son importantes para el diagnóstico y tratamiento oportuno.

PCR and culture identification of pathogenic Leptospira spp. from coastal soil in Leyte, Philippines, after a storm surge during Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda).

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Saito, Mitsumasa; Miyahara, Satoshi; Villanueva, Sharon Y A M; Aramaki, Natsumi; Ikejiri, Mami; Kobayashi, Yoshie; Guevarra, Jonathan P; Masuzawa, Toshiyuki; Gloriani, Nina G; Yanagihara, Yasutake; Yoshida, Shin-ichi

2014-11-01

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp. Most of the outbreaks of leptospirosis occur after floods caused by heavy rain in countries where Leptospira spp. are endemic. It has been believed that the overflow of seawater rarely causes outbreaks of leptospirosis because the leptospires are killed by salt water. On 8 November 2013, a storm surge caused by Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) inundated the entire coastal areas of Tacloban and Palo in Leyte, Philippines. The present study was carried out in order to determine whether the environmental leptospires in soil were able to survive after the storm surge in the affected areas. We collected 23 wet soil samples along the coastal areas of Tacloban and Palo 2 months after the storm surge. The samples were suspended in HEPES buffer, and the supernatants were cultured in liquid or semisolid Korthof's medium supplemented with five antimicrobial agents to inhibit the growth of contaminants. Leptospires were isolated from primary cultures of 22 out of 23 samples. The DNA of pathogenic Leptospira species was detected in 11 samples (47.8%) by analysis of flaB by nested PCR. Eventually, two pathogenic Leptospira strains were isolated and showed the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Leptospira kmetyi. When these isolates were experimentally mixed with soil, they were found to survive in seawater for 4 days. These results show the possibility that leptospires living in soil survived after the storm surge. Our findings may serve as a warning that when seawater inundates the land during a storm surge or a tsunami, an outbreak of leptospirosis could occur in the disaster-stricken area. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

In the High Cause of Human Freedom, 1935-1945. Dwight D. Eisenhower.

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Barbieri, Kim E.

For Dwight D. Eisenhower, World War II was not simply a war but a crusade in the high cause of human freedom. This publication, the third in a series of posters and curriculum materials on the life and times of Dwight D. Eisenhower, covers the events leading up to World War II and Eisenhower's rise to the rank of five star General of the U.S. Army…

Mutations that Cause Human Disease: A Computational/Experimental Approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beernink, P; Barsky, D; Pesavento, B

2006-01-11

International genome sequencing projects have produced billions of nucleotides (letters) of DNA sequence data, including the complete genome sequences of 74 organisms. These genome sequences have created many new scientific opportunities, including the ability to identify sequence variations among individuals within a species. These genetic differences, which are known as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), are particularly important in understanding the genetic basis for disease susceptibility. Since the report of the complete human genome sequence, over two million human SNPs have been identified, including a large-scale comparison of an entire chromosome from twenty individuals. Of the protein coding SNPs (cSNPs), approximately half leads to a single amino acid change in the encoded protein (non-synonymous coding SNPs). Most of these changes are functionally silent, while the remainder negatively impact the protein and sometimes cause human disease. To date, over 550 SNPs have been found to cause single locus (monogenic) diseases and many others have been associated with polygenic diseases. SNPs have been linked to specific human diseases, including late-onset Parkinson disease, autism, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. The ability to predict accurately the effects of these SNPs on protein function would represent a major advance toward understanding these diseases. To date several attempts have been made toward predicting the effects of such mutations. The most successful of these is a computational approach called ''Sorting Intolerant From Tolerant'' (SIFT). This method uses sequence conservation among many similar proteins to predict which residues in a protein are functionally important. However, this method suffers from several limitations. First, a query sequence must have a sufficient number of relatives to infer sequence conservation. Second, this method does not make use of or provide any information on protein structure, which

Asymptomatic and chronic carriage of Leptospira interrogans serovar Pomona in California sea lions (Zalophus californianus)

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Since 1970, periodic outbreaks of leptospirosis, caused by pathogenic spirochetes in the genus Leptospira, have caused morbidity and mortality of California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) along the Pacific coast of North America. Yearly seasonal epizootics of varying magnitude occur between the ...

Exploring the preventable causes of unplanned readmissions using root cause analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fluitman, K. S.; van Galen, L. S.; Merten, H

2016-01-01

Importance: Unplanned readmissions within 30 days are a common phenomenon in everyday practice and lead to increasing costs. Although many studies aiming to analyze the probable causes leading to unplanned readmissions have been performed, an in depth-study analyzing the human (healthcare worker...... and unpreventable readmissions. Results: Most root causes for readmission were disease-related (46%), followed by human (healthcare worker)-(33%) and patient-(15%) related root causes. Half of the readmissions studied were considered to be potentially preventable. Preventable readmissions predominantly had human......-related (coordination) failures. Conclusion and relevance: Our study suggests that improving human-related (coordinating) factors contributing to a readmission can potentially decrease the number of preventable readmissions. (C) 2015 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights...

Light Chain Amyloid Fibrils Cause Metabolic Dysfunction in Human Cardiomyocytes.

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Helen P McWilliams-Koeppen

Full Text Available Light chain (AL amyloidosis is the most common form of systemic amyloid disease, and cardiomyopathy is a dire consequence, resulting in an extremely poor prognosis. AL is characterized by the production of monoclonal free light chains that deposit as amyloid fibrils principally in the heart, liver, and kidneys causing organ dysfunction. We have studied the effects of amyloid fibrils, produced from recombinant λ6 light chain variable domains, on metabolic activity of human cardiomyocytes. The data indicate that fibrils at 0.1 μM, but not monomer, significantly decrease the enzymatic activity of cellular NAD(PH-dependent oxidoreductase, without causing significant cell death. The presence of amyloid fibrils did not affect ATP levels; however, oxygen consumption was increased and reactive oxygen species were detected. Confocal fluorescence microscopy showed that fibrils bound to and remained at the cell surface with little fibril internalization. These data indicate that AL amyloid fibrils severely impair cardiomyocyte metabolism in a dose dependent manner. These data suggest that effective therapeutic intervention for these patients should include methods for removing potentially toxic amyloid fibrils.

The Characteristics of Ubiquitous and Unique Leptospira Strains from the Collection of Russian Centre for Leptospirosis

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Voronina, Olga L.; Kunda, Marina S.; Aksenova, Ekaterina I.; Ryzhova, Natalia N.; Semenov, Andrey N.; Petrov, Evgeny M.; Didenko, Lubov V.; Lunin, Vladimir G.; Ananyina, Yuliya V.; Gintsburg, Alexandr L.

2014-01-01

Background and Aim. Leptospira, the causal agent of leptospirosis, has been isolated from the environment, patients, and wide spectrum of animals in Russia. However, the genetic diversity of Leptospira in natural and anthropurgic foci was not clearly defined. Methods. The recent MLST scheme was used for the analysis of seven pathogenic species. 454 pyrosequencing technology was the base of the whole genome sequencing (WGS). Results. The most wide spread and prevalent Leptospira species in Russia were L. interrogans, L. kirschneri, and L. borgpetersenii. Five STs, common for Russian strains: 37, 17, 199, 110, and 146, were identified as having a longtime and ubiquitous distribution in various geographic areas. Unexpected properties were revealed for the environmental Leptospira strain Bairam-Ali. WGS of this strain genome suggested that it combined the features of the pathogenic and nonpathogenic strains and may be a reservoir of the natural resistance genes. Results of the comparative analysis of rrs and rpoB genes and MLST loci for different Leptospira species strains and phenotypic and serological properties of the strain Bairam-Ali suggested that it represented separate Leptospira species. Conclusions. Thus, the natural and anthropurgic foci supported ubiquitous Leptospira species and the pool of genes important for bacterial adaptivity to various conditions. PMID:25276806

Bid-Induced Release of AIF/EndoG from Mitochondria Causes Apoptosis of Macrophages during Infection with Leptospira interrogans

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Wei-Lin Hu

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is a global zoonotic infectious disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira species. Leptospire-induced macrophage apoptosis through the Fas/FasL-caspase-8/3 pathway plays an important role in the survival and proliferation of the pathogen in hosts. Although, the release of mitochondrial apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF and endonuclease G (EndoG in leptospire-infected macrophages has been described, the mechanisms linking caspase and mitochondrion-related host-cell apoptosis has not been determined. Here, we demonstrated that leptospire-infection induced apoptosis through mitochondrial damages in macrophages. Apoptosis was caused by the mitochondrial release and nuclear translocation of AIF and/or EndoG, leading to nuclear DNA fragmentation. However, the mitochondrion-related CytC-caspase-9/3 pathway was not activated. Next, we found that the release and translocation of AIF and/or EndoG was preceded by the activation of the BH3-interacting domain death agonist (Bid. Furthermore, our data demonstrated that caspase-8 was activated during the infection and caused the activation of Bid. Meanwhile, high reactive oxygen species (ROS trigged by the infection caused the dephosphorylation of Akt, which also activated Bid. In conclusion, Bid-mediated mitochondrial release of AIF and/or EndoG followed by nuclear translocation is a major mechanism of leptospire- induced apoptosis in macrophages, and this process is modulated by both caspase-8 and ROS-Akt signal pathways.

Investigating the causes of human error-induced incidents in the maintenance operations of petrochemical industry by using HFACS

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Mohammadreza Azhdari

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Background & Objectives: Maintenance is an important tool for the petrochemical industries to prevent of accidents and increase operational and process safety success. The purpose of this study was to identify the possible causes of incidents caused by human error in the petrochemical maintenance activities by using Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional analysis that was conducted in Zagros Petrochemical Company, Asaluyeh-Iran. A checklist of human error-induced incidents was developed based on four HFACS main levels and nineteen sub-groups. Hierarchical task analysis (HTA technique was used to identify maintenance activities and tasks. The main causes of possible incidents were identified by checklist and recorded. Corrective and preventive actions were defined depending on priority.   Results: The content analysis of worksheets of 444 activities showed 37.6% of the causes at the level of unsafe actions, 27.5% at the level of unsafe supervision, 20.9% at the level of preconditions for unsafe acts and 14% of the causes at the level of organizational effects. The HFACS sub-groups showed errors (24.36% inadequate supervision (14.89% and violations (13.26% with the most frequency. Conclusion: In order to prevent and reduce the occurrence of the identified errors, reducing the rate of the detected errors is crucial. Findings of this study showed that appropriate controlling measures such as periodical training of work procedures and supervision improvement decrease the human error-induced incidents in petrochemical industry maintenance.

Leptospira spp. in Small Mammals from Areas with Low and High Human Hantavirus Incidences in South-West Germany.

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Obiegala, Anna; Albrecht, Christoph; Dafalla, Maysaa; Drewes, Stephan; Oltersdorf, Carolin; Turni, Hendrik; Imholt, Christian; Jacob, Jens; Wagner-Wiening, Christiane; Ulrich, Rainer G; Pfeffer, Martin

2017-05-01

Leptospirosis is caused by Leptospira spp. and is considered the most widespread zoonotic disease worldwide. It mimics nephropathia epidemica in humans, a disease mainly caused by Puumala hantavirus (PUUV). Small mammals are reservoirs for Leptospira spp. and PUUV. Seewis virus (SWSV) is a shrew-borne hantavirus with unknown pathogenicity. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence for Leptospira spp. and the frequency of Leptospira-hantavirus co-infections in small mammals collected at locations with high and low incidences in humans. In 2012 and 2013, 736 small mammals belonging to seven species (Apodemus flavicollis, Microtus agrestis, Microtus arvalis, Myodes glareolus, Sorex araneus, S. coronatus, and S. minutus) were collected at four high incidence sites (H1-H4) and four low (L1-L4) incidence sites for PUUV infection in humans. Kidney-derived DNA samples were tested for Leptospira spp. by real-time PCR targeting the lipl 32 gene and further analyzed by duplex PCR targeting the flaB and the secY genes. For the detection of Seewis virus, lung-derived DNA was tested via RT-PCR targeting the nucleocapsid gene. Altogether, 42 of the 736 small mammals including 27 of 660 bank voles and 11 of 66 shrews, were positive for Leptospira spp., while Sorex spp. (14.7%) showed significantly higher prevalences compared to bank voles (4.1%). Detected Leptospira spp. were pathogenic species other than L. kirschneri. Significantly more Leptospira-positive bank voles were found at H sites than at L sites. Altogether 22.2% of positive bank voles were infected with PUUV. Double infection of PUUV and Leptospira spp. occurrence in bank voles is 1.86 times (OR = 1.86; 95% CI: 0.72-4.73) more likely than infections with each pathogen separately. Leptospira- positive bank voles are focally positively associated with PUUV infection in bank voles and with human hantavirus cases. It should be considered that shrews may serve as Leptospira spp. reservoirs.

Molecular and serological characterization of Leptospira kirschneri serogroup Pomona isolated from a human case in a Brazilian rural area

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Ilana Teruszkin Balassiano

Full Text Available Abstract INTRODUCTION: Leptospirosis is an important health concern in Brazil. Currently, information on the epidemiology of the disease in the rural areas of the country is lacking. METHODS: Serological and molecular techniques were used to characterize a clinical isolate of Leptospira. RESULTS: The strain CLEP 00060, isolated from a 59-year-old man in a rural area of Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, was identified as belonging to L. kirschneri serogroup Pomona serovar Mozdok. CONCLUSIONS: This study contributes to the local epidemiological knowledge of leptospirosis, prevention of the disease by vaccines, and improvements in its diagnosis.

Isolation and clinical sample typing of human leptospirosis cases in Argentina.

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Chiani, Yosena; Jacob, Paulina; Varni, Vanina; Landolt, Noelia; Schmeling, María Fernanda; Pujato, Nazarena; Caimi, Karina; Vanasco, Bibiana

2016-01-01

Leptospira typing is carried out using isolated strains. Because of difficulties in obtaining them, direct identification of infective Leptospira in clinical samples is a high priority. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) proved highly discriminatory for seven pathogenic species of Leptospira, allowing isolate characterization and robust assignment to species, in addition to phylogenetic evidence for the relatedness between species. In this study we characterized Leptospira strains circulating in Argentina, using typing methods applied to human clinical samples and isolates. Phylogenetic studies based on 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences enabled typing of 8 isolates (6 Leptospira interrogans, one Leptospira wolffii and one Leptospira broomii) and 58 out of 85 (68.2%) clinical samples (55 L. interrogans, 2 Leptospira meyeri, and one Leptospira kirschneri). MLST results for the L. interrogans isolates indicated that five were probably Canicola serogroup (ST37) and one was probably Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup (ST17). Eleven clinical samples (21.6%), provided MLST interpretable data: five were probably Pyrogenes serogroup (ST13), four Sejroe (ST20), one Autumnalis (ST22) and one Canicola (ST37). To the best of our knowledge this study is the first report of the use of an MLST typing scheme with seven loci to identify Leptospira directly from clinical samples in Argentina. The use of clinical samples presents the advantage of the possibility of knowing the infecting strain without resorting to isolates. This study also allowed, for the first time, the characterization of isolates of intermediate pathogenicity species (L. wolffii and L. broomii) from symptomatic patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Operator error and emotions. Operator error and emotions - a major cause of human failure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patterson, B.K.; Bradley, M.; Artiss, W.G.

2000-01-01

This paper proposes the idea that a large proportion of the incidents attributed to operator and maintenance error in a nuclear or industrial plant are actually founded in our human emotions. Basic psychological theory of emotions is briefly presented and then the authors present situations and instances that can cause emotions to swell and lead to operator and maintenance error. Since emotional information is not recorded in industrial incident reports, the challenge is extended to industry, to review incident source documents for cases of emotional involvement and to develop means to collect emotion related information in future root cause analysis investigations. Training must then be provided to operators and maintainers to enable them to know one's emotions, manage emotions, motivate one's self, recognize emotions in others and handle relationships. Effective training will reduce the instances of human error based in emotions and enable a cooperative, productive environment in which to work. (author)

Operator error and emotions. Operator error and emotions - a major cause of human failure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Patterson, B.K. [Human Factors Practical Incorporated (Canada); Bradley, M. [Univ. of New Brunswick, Saint John, New Brunswick (Canada); Artiss, W.G. [Human Factors Practical (Canada)

2000-07-01

This paper proposes the idea that a large proportion of the incidents attributed to operator and maintenance error in a nuclear or industrial plant are actually founded in our human emotions. Basic psychological theory of emotions is briefly presented and then the authors present situations and instances that can cause emotions to swell and lead to operator and maintenance error. Since emotional information is not recorded in industrial incident reports, the challenge is extended to industry, to review incident source documents for cases of emotional involvement and to develop means to collect emotion related information in future root cause analysis investigations. Training must then be provided to operators and maintainers to enable them to know one's emotions, manage emotions, motivate one's self, recognize emotions in others and handle relationships. Effective training will reduce the instances of human error based in emotions and enable a cooperative, productive environment in which to work. (author)

Hydrostatic pressure does not cause detectable changes in survival of human retinal ganglion cells.

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Andrew Osborne

Full Text Available Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP is a major risk factor for glaucoma. One consequence of raised IOP is that ocular tissues are subjected to increased hydrostatic pressure (HP. The effect of raised HP on stress pathway signaling and retinal ganglion cell (RGC survival in the human retina was investigated.A chamber was designed to expose cells to increased HP (constant and fluctuating. Accurate pressure control (10-100 mmHg was achieved using mass flow controllers. Human organotypic retinal cultures (HORCs from donor eyes (<24 h post mortem were cultured in serum-free DMEM/HamF12. Increased HP was compared to simulated ischemia (oxygen glucose deprivation, OGD. Cell death and apoptosis were measured by LDH and TUNEL assays, RGC marker expression by qRT-PCR (THY-1 and RGC number by immunohistochemistry (NeuN. Activated p38 and JNK were detected by Western blot.Exposure of HORCs to constant (60 mmHg or fluctuating (10-100 mmHg; 1 cycle/min pressure for 24 or 48 h caused no loss of structural integrity, LDH release, decrease in RGC marker expression (THY-1 or loss of RGCs compared with controls. In addition, there was no increase in TUNEL-positive NeuN-labelled cells at either time-point indicating no increase in apoptosis of RGCs. OGD increased apoptosis, reduced RGC marker expression and RGC number and caused elevated LDH release at 24 h. p38 and JNK phosphorylation remained unchanged in HORCs exposed to fluctuating pressure (10-100 mmHg; 1 cycle/min for 15, 30, 60 and 90 min durations, whereas OGD (3 h increased activation of p38 and JNK, remaining elevated for 90 min post-OGD.Directly applied HP had no detectable impact on RGC survival and stress-signalling in HORCs. Simulated ischemia, however, activated stress pathways and caused RGC death. These results show that direct HP does not cause degeneration of RGCs in the ex vivo human retina.

Rapamycin causes growth arrest and inhibition of invasion in human chondrosarcoma cells.

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Song, Jian; Wang, Xiaobo; Zhu, Jiaxue; Liu, Jun

2016-01-01

Chondrosarcoma is a highly malignant tumor that is characterized by a potent capacity to invade locally and cause distant metastasis and notable for its lack of response to conventional chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Rapamycin, the inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), is a valuable drug with diverse clinical applications and regulates many cellular processes. However, the effects of rapamycin on cell growth and invasion of human chondrosarcoma cells are not well known. We determined the effect of rapamycin on cell proliferation, cell cycle arrest and invasion by using MTS, flow cytometry and invasion assays in two human chondrosarcoma cell lines, SW1353 and JJ012. Cell cycle regulatory and invasion-related genes' expression analysis was performed by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). We also evaluated the effect of rapamycin on tumor growth by using mice xenograph models. Rapamycin significantly inhibited the cell proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest and decreased the invasion ability of human chondrosarcoma cells. Meanwhile, rapamycin modulated the cell cycle regulatory and invasion-related genes' expression. Furthermore, the tumor growth of mice xenograph models with human chondrosarcoma cells was significantly inhibited by rapamycin. These results provided further insight into the role of rapamycin in chondrosarcoma. Therefore, rapamycin targeted therapy may be a potential treatment strategy for chondrosarcoma.

The suggestion of common cause of disease, characteristics of human body, and medical treatment

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Byung-Jun Cho

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Objectives & Methods: This suggestion was attempted to be elevated the recognition of common characteristics in disease. So, we performed to analyze the correlation of common cause of disease, characteristics of human body, and medical treatment. And the results are as follows. Results: 1. The cause of disease is consist of genetic factor, aging, habit, food of not good in health, weather, environment, deficit of the physical activity, stress and so on. 2. Generally, human has common and individual weakness. Individual weakness is appeared similar to the occurrence of volcano and lapse. 3. The correlation of disease and medical treatments is possible to explain using the quotation of the law of motion made by Isaac Newton, the great physicist. 4. When the process of the medical treatment was not progressed, the prognosis is determined by the correlation of the homeostasis(H' in human body and the homeostasis(H of disease. 5. The prognosis of disease is determined by the relationship between the energy of disease(F and medical treatment(F'. 6. The exact diagnosis is possible to predict the treatment sequence, and the facts that homeostasis in human body and disease, relationship between the energy of disease(F and medical treatment(F', action and reaction are important to determine the prognosis. 7. The careful observation of improving response and worsening action of disease becomes available for exact prognosis. Conclusion: The above described contents may be useful in clinical studies, and the concrete clinical reports about this will be made afterward.

Yersinia enterocolitica, a Neglected Cause of Human Enteric Infections in Côte d’Ivoire

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Saraka, Daniel; Savin, Cyril; Kouassi, Stephane; Cissé, Bakary; Koffi, Eugène; Cabanel, Nicolas; Brémont, Sylvie; Faye-Kette, Hortense; Dosso, Mireille; Carniel, Elisabeth

2017-01-01

Background Enteropathogenic Yersinia circulate in the pig reservoir and are the third bacterial cause of human gastrointestinal infections in Europe. In West Africa, reports of human yersiniosis are rare. This study was conducted to determine whether pathogenic Yersinia are circulating in pig farms and are responsible for human infections in the Abidjan District. Methodology/Principal findings From June 2012 to December 2013, pig feces were collected monthly in 41 swine farms of the Abidjan district. Of the 781 samples collected, 19 Yersinia strains were isolated in 3 farms: 7 non-pathogenic Yersinia intermedia and 12 pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica bioserotype 4/O:3. Farm animals other than pigs and wild animals were not found infected. Furthermore, 2 Y. enterocolitica 4/O:3 strains were isolated from 426 fecal samples of patients with digestive disorders. All 14 Y. enterocolitica strains shared the same PFGE and MLVA profile, indicating their close genetic relationship. However, while 6 of them displayed the usual phage type VIII, the other 8 had the highly infrequent phage type XI. Whole genome sequencing and SNP analysis of individual colonies revealed that phage type XI strains had unusually high rates of mutations. These strains displayed a hypermutator phenotype that was attributable to a large deletion in the mutS gene involved in DNA mismatch repair. Conclusions/Significance This study demonstrates that pathogenic Y. enterocolitica circulate in the pig reservoir in Côte d'Ivoire and cause human infections with a prevalence comparable to that of many developed countries. The paucity of reports of yersiniosis in West Africa is most likely attributable to a lack of active detection rather than to an absence of the microorganism. The identification of hypermutator strains in pigs and humans is of concern as these strains can rapidly acquire selective advantages that may increase their fitness, pathogenicity or resistance to commonly used treatments. PMID

Yersinia enterocolitica, a Neglected Cause of Human Enteric Infections in Côte d'Ivoire.

Science.gov (United States)

Saraka, Daniel; Savin, Cyril; Kouassi, Stephane; Cissé, Bakary; Koffi, Eugène; Cabanel, Nicolas; Brémont, Sylvie; Faye-Kette, Hortense; Dosso, Mireille; Carniel, Elisabeth

2017-01-01

Enteropathogenic Yersinia circulate in the pig reservoir and are the third bacterial cause of human gastrointestinal infections in Europe. In West Africa, reports of human yersiniosis are rare. This study was conducted to determine whether pathogenic Yersinia are circulating in pig farms and are responsible for human infections in the Abidjan District. From June 2012 to December 2013, pig feces were collected monthly in 41 swine farms of the Abidjan district. Of the 781 samples collected, 19 Yersinia strains were isolated in 3 farms: 7 non-pathogenic Yersinia intermedia and 12 pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica bioserotype 4/O:3. Farm animals other than pigs and wild animals were not found infected. Furthermore, 2 Y. enterocolitica 4/O:3 strains were isolated from 426 fecal samples of patients with digestive disorders. All 14 Y. enterocolitica strains shared the same PFGE and MLVA profile, indicating their close genetic relationship. However, while 6 of them displayed the usual phage type VIII, the other 8 had the highly infrequent phage type XI. Whole genome sequencing and SNP analysis of individual colonies revealed that phage type XI strains had unusually high rates of mutations. These strains displayed a hypermutator phenotype that was attributable to a large deletion in the mutS gene involved in DNA mismatch repair. This study demonstrates that pathogenic Y. enterocolitica circulate in the pig reservoir in Côte d'Ivoire and cause human infections with a prevalence comparable to that of many developed countries. The paucity of reports of yersiniosis in West Africa is most likely attributable to a lack of active detection rather than to an absence of the microorganism. The identification of hypermutator strains in pigs and humans is of concern as these strains can rapidly acquire selective advantages that may increase their fitness, pathogenicity or resistance to commonly used treatments.

The emergence of Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Arborea in Queensland, Australia, 2001 to 2013.

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Lau, Colleen L; Skelly, Chris; Dohnt, Michael; Smythe, Lee D

2015-06-14

Leptospirosis is an emerging infectious disease, with increasing frequency and severity of outbreaks, changing epidemiology of populations at risk, and the emergence of new serovars. Environmental drivers of disease transmission include flooding, urbanisation, poor sanitation, changes in land use and agricultural practices, and socioeconomic factors. In Queensland, human infection with Leptosira borgpetersenii serovar Arborea was first reported in 2001. This study aims to report the emergence of serovar Arborea in Queensland from 2001 to 2013, and investigate potential risk factors for infection and drivers of emergence. Data on laboratory-confirmed cases of human leptospirosis in Queensland were obtained from the enhanced surveillance system at the WHO/FAO/OIE Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Leptospirosis in Brisbane, Australia. The changing epidemiology of serovar Arborea from 2001 to 2003 was described with respect to case numbers, proportion of leptospirosis cases attributed to the serovar, and geographic distribution. Differences in risk factors for the most common serovars were compared. During this period, 1289 cases of leptospirosis were reported, including 233 cases attributed to serovar Arborea. Risk factors for infection include male gender (91 % of cases), occupation, and recreational exposure. Most common occupations recorded were banana workers (28.4 %), meat workers (7.2 %), dairy farmers (5.8 %), graziers/stockmen (5.5 %), 'other agricultural/rural workers' (16.4 %), and tourists or tourism operators (4.6 %). Time trend analysis showed that while non-Arborea cases decreased over the study period, Arborea cases increased by 3.4 cases per year. The proportion of annual cases attributed to Arborea peaked at 49 % in 2011 after unprecedented flooding in Queensland. Mapping of cases by residential location showed expansion of the geographic range of serovar Arborea, concentrating mostly around Brisbane, Cairns and Innisfail. Serovars

Characterization of Leptospira isolates from humans and the environment in Uruguay.

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Meny, Paulina; Menéndez, Clara; Quintero, Jair; Hernández, Elba; Ríos, Cristina; Balassiano, Ilana Teruszkin; Trindade, Camilla Nunes Dos Reis; Vital-Brazil, Juliana Magalhães; Ramos, Tatiane Mendes Varela; Ashfield, Natalia; Feble, Camila; Avila, Esthefani; Schelotto, Felipe; Varela, Gustavo

2017-12-21

Laboratory diagnosis of human leptospirosis usually relies on indirect methods exploring specific immune response. Isolation and identification of the involved strains are cumbersome, but can provide biological resources for pathogenic studies and relevant information for guiding prevention and control measures. The aim of the research we are hereby reporting was the characterization of Leptospira isolates obtained from humans and the environment in Uruguay. Blood cultures were performed from early samples of 302 Uruguayan patients, mainly rural workers, and from 36 water samples taken from their living or working environments. Eight human isolates and seven environmental isolates were obtained and analyzed by end point Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Multilocus Variable Number of Tandem Repeat Analysis (MLVA) and other molecular methods. Human isolates corresponded to several serogroups and serovars of Leptospira interrogans and Leptospira kirschneri species, probably reflecting the infection with similar involved Leptospira species and serovars of an extended animal reservoir in rural settings of the country, mostly dedicated to meat and dairy production. Culture-positive patients were older than usually affected workers, and presented signs and symptoms of severe illness. A high organic and circulating bacterial burden may explain an easier positive result from these workers' samples. Environmental isolates were mainly identified as Leptospira biflexa strains, with a single L. meyeri isolate of uncertain significance.

Quantification of pathogenic Leptospira in the soils of a Brazilian urban slum.

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Andrew G Schneider

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is an important zoonotic disease that causes considerable morbidity and mortality globally, primarily in residents of urban slums. While contact with contaminated water plays a critical role in the transmission of leptospirosis, little is known about the distribution and abundance of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in soil and the potential contribution of this source to human infection.We collected soil samples (n = 70 from three sites within an urban slum community endemic for leptospirosis in Salvador, Brazil. Using qPCR of Leptospira genes lipl32 and 16S rRNA, we quantified the pathogenic Leptospira load in each soil sample. lipl32 qPCR detected pathogenic Leptospira in 22 (31% of 70 samples, though the median concentration among positive samples was low (median = 6 GEq/g; range: 4-4.31×102 GEq/g. We also observed heterogeneity in the distribution of pathogenic Leptospira at the fine spatial scale. However, when using 16S rRNA qPCR, we detected a higher proportion of Leptospira-positive samples (86% and higher bacterial concentrations (median: 4.16×102 GEq/g; range: 4-2.58×104 GEq/g. Sequencing of the qPCR amplicons and qPCR analysis with all type Leptospira species revealed that the 16S rRNA qPCR detected not only pathogenic Leptospira but also intermediate species, although both methods excluded saprophytic Leptospira. No significant associations were identified between the presence of pathogenic Leptospira DNA and environmental characteristics (vegetation, rat activity, distance to an open sewer or a house, or soil clay content, though samples with higher soil moisture content showed higher prevalences.This is the first study to successfully quantify the burden of pathogenic Leptospira in soil from an endemic region. Our results support the hypothesis that soil may be an under-recognized environmental reservoir contributing to transmission of pathogenic Leptospira in urban slums. Consequently, the role of soil should be

In situ electric fields causing electro-stimulation from conductor contact of charged human

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagai, T.; Hirata, A.

2010-01-01

Contact currents flow from/into a human body when touching an object such as a metal structure with a different electric potential. These currents can stimulate muscle and peripheral nerves. In this context, computational analyses of in situ electric fields caused by the contact current have been performed, while their effectiveness for transient contact currents has not well been investigated. In the present study, using an anatomically based human model, a dispersive finite-difference time-domain model was utilised to computed transient contact current and in situ electric fields from a charged human. Computed in situ electric fields were highly localised in the hand. In order to obtain an insight into the relationship between in situ electric field and electro-stimulation, cell-maximum and 5-mm averaged in situ electric fields were computed and compared with strength-duration curves. The comparison suggests that both measures could be larger than thresholds derived from the strength- duration curves with parameters used in previous studies. (authors)

Humans rather than climate the primary cause of Pleistocene megafaunal extinction in Australia

Science.gov (United States)

van der Kaars, Sander; Miller, Gifford H.; Turney, Chris S. M.; Cook, Ellyn J.; Nürnberg, Dirk; Schönfeld, Joachim; Kershaw, A. Peter; Lehman, Scott J.

2017-01-01

Environmental histories that span the last full glacial cycle and are representative of regional change in Australia are scarce, hampering assessment of environmental change preceding and concurrent with human dispersal on the continent ca. 47,000 years ago. Here we present a continuous 150,000-year record offshore south-western Australia and identify the timing of two critical late Pleistocene events: wide-scale ecosystem change and regional megafaunal population collapse. We establish that substantial changes in vegetation and fire regime occurred ∼70,000 years ago under a climate much drier than today. We record high levels of the dung fungus Sporormiella, a proxy for herbivore biomass, from 150,000 to 45,000 years ago, then a marked decline indicating megafaunal population collapse, from 45,000 to 43,100 years ago, placing the extinctions within 4,000 years of human dispersal across Australia. These findings rule out climate change, and implicate humans, as the primary extinction cause. PMID:28106043

Human parechoviruses as an important viral cause of sepsislike illness and meningitis in young children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wolthers, Katja C.; Benschop, Kimberley S. M.; Schinkel, Janke; Molenkamp, Richard; Bergevoet, Rosemarijn M.; Spijkerman, Ingrid J. B.; Kraakman, H. Carlijn; Pajkrt, Dasja

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND: Enteroviruses (EVs) belong to the family Picornaviridae and are a well-known cause of neonatal sepsis and viral meningitis. Human parechoviruses (HPeVs) type 1 and 2, previously named echovirus 22 and 23, have been associated with mild gastrointestinal or respiratory symptoms in young

Two Distinct Yersinia pestis Populations Causing Plague among Humans in the West Nile Region of Uganda.

Science.gov (United States)

Respicio-Kingry, Laurel B; Yockey, Brook M; Acayo, Sarah; Kaggwa, John; Apangu, Titus; Kugeler, Kiersten J; Eisen, Rebecca J; Griffith, Kevin S; Mead, Paul S; Schriefer, Martin E; Petersen, Jeannine M

2016-02-01

Plague is a life-threatening disease caused by the bacterium, Yersinia pestis. Since the 1990s, Africa has accounted for the majority of reported human cases. In Uganda, plague cases occur in the West Nile region, near the border with Democratic Republic of Congo. Despite the ongoing risk of contracting plague in this region, little is known about Y. pestis genotypes causing human disease. During January 2004-December 2012, 1,092 suspect human plague cases were recorded in the West Nile region of Uganda. Sixty-one cases were culture-confirmed. Recovered Y. pestis isolates were analyzed using three typing methods, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and multiple variable number of tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) and subpopulations analyzed in the context of associated geographic, temporal, and clinical data for source patients. All three methods separated the 61 isolates into two distinct 1.ANT lineages, which persisted throughout the 9 year period and were associated with differences in elevation and geographic distribution. We demonstrate that human cases of plague in the West Nile region of Uganda are caused by two distinct 1.ANT genetic subpopulations. Notably, all three typing methods used, SNPs, PFGE, and MLVA, identified the two genetic subpopulations, despite recognizing different mutation types in the Y. pestis genome. The geographic and elevation differences between the two subpopulations is suggestive of their maintenance in highly localized enzootic cycles, potentially with differing vector-host community composition. This improved understanding of Y. pestis subpopulations in the West Nile region will be useful for identifying ecologic and environmental factors associated with elevated plague risk.

Albinism-causing mutations in recombinant human tyrosinase alter intrinsic enzymatic activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Dolinska, Monika B; Kovaleva, Elena; Backlund, Peter; Wingfield, Paul T; Brooks, Brian P; Sergeev, Yuri V

2014-01-01

Tyrosinase (TYR) catalyzes the rate-limiting, first step in melanin production and its gene (TYR) is mutated in many cases of oculocutaneous albinism (OCA1), an autosomal recessive cause of childhood blindness. Patients with reduced TYR activity are classified as OCA1B; some OCA1B mutations are temperature-sensitive. Therapeutic research for OCA1 has been hampered, in part, by the absence of purified, active, recombinant wild-type and mutant human enzymes. The intra-melanosomal domain of human tyrosinase (residues 19-469) and two OCA1B related temperature-sensitive mutants, R422Q and R422W were expressed in insect cells and produced in T. ni larvae. The short trans-membrane fragment was deleted to avoid potential protein insolubility, while preserving all other functional features of the enzymes. Purified tyrosinase was obtained with a yield of >1 mg per 10 g of larval biomass. The protein was a monomeric glycoenzyme with maximum enzyme activity at 37°C and neutral pH. The two purified mutants when compared to the wild-type protein were less active and temperature sensitive. These differences are associated with conformational perturbations in secondary structure. The intramelanosomal domains of recombinant wild-type and mutant human tyrosinases are soluble monomeric glycoproteins with activities which mirror their in vivo function. This advance allows for the structure - function analyses of different mutant TYR proteins and correlation with their corresponding human phenotypes; it also provides an important tool to discover drugs that may improve tyrosinase activity and treat OCA1.

Albinism-causing mutations in recombinant human tyrosinase alter intrinsic enzymatic activity.

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Monika B Dolinska

Full Text Available Tyrosinase (TYR catalyzes the rate-limiting, first step in melanin production and its gene (TYR is mutated in many cases of oculocutaneous albinism (OCA1, an autosomal recessive cause of childhood blindness. Patients with reduced TYR activity are classified as OCA1B; some OCA1B mutations are temperature-sensitive. Therapeutic research for OCA1 has been hampered, in part, by the absence of purified, active, recombinant wild-type and mutant human enzymes.The intra-melanosomal domain of human tyrosinase (residues 19-469 and two OCA1B related temperature-sensitive mutants, R422Q and R422W were expressed in insect cells and produced in T. ni larvae. The short trans-membrane fragment was deleted to avoid potential protein insolubility, while preserving all other functional features of the enzymes. Purified tyrosinase was obtained with a yield of >1 mg per 10 g of larval biomass. The protein was a monomeric glycoenzyme with maximum enzyme activity at 37°C and neutral pH. The two purified mutants when compared to the wild-type protein were less active and temperature sensitive. These differences are associated with conformational perturbations in secondary structure.The intramelanosomal domains of recombinant wild-type and mutant human tyrosinases are soluble monomeric glycoproteins with activities which mirror their in vivo function. This advance allows for the structure - function analyses of different mutant TYR proteins and correlation with their corresponding human phenotypes; it also provides an important tool to discover drugs that may improve tyrosinase activity and treat OCA1.

The causes and consequences of human exposure to ionising radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clarke, R.H.

1991-01-01

Few phenomena cause as much concern in developed countries as human exposure to artificial sources of radiation, and yet there are more potent threats to health: natural radiation is more pervasive and exposures more substantial; common practices such as smoking and drinking are more detrimental. Developing countries may be more anxious to establish radiological procedures than radiological protection. This paper gives the ranges of exposure to which people are subjected from natural and artificial sources which should help to put all doses in perspective. The relationship between dose and risk is established and used to show that exposures to radiation leak to low levels of risk. Finally, the new recommendations of ICRP for the control of radiation risk are presented. (Author)

Assessment of exposure to Leptospira serovars in veterinary staff and dog owners in contact with infected dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Barmettler, Reto; Schweighauser, Ariane; Bigler, Susanne; Grooters, Amy M; Francey, Thierry

2011-01-15

To assess patterns of seroreactivity to Leptospira serovars in veterinary professional staff and dog owners exposed to dogs with acute leptospirosis and to contrast these patterns in people with those observed in dogs. Cross-sectional study. Human subjects consisted of 91 people (50 veterinarians, 19 technical staff, 9 administrative personnel, and 13 dog owners) exposed to dogs with leptospirosis. Canine subjects consisted of 52 dogs with naturally occurring leptospirosis admitted to the University of Bern Vetsuisse Faculty Small Animal Clinic in 2007 and 2008. People were tested for seroreactivity to regionally prevalent Leptospira serovars by use of a complement fixation test. A questionnaire designed to identify risk factors associated with seropositivity was used to collect demographic information from each study participant. Dogs were tested for seroreactivity to Leptospira serovars by use of a microscopic agglutination test. On the basis of microscopic agglutination test results, infected dogs were seropositive for antibodies against Leptospira serovars as follows (in descending order): Bratislava (43/52 [83%]), Australis (43/52 [83%]), Grippotyphosa (18/52 [35%]), Pomona (12/52 [23%]), Autumnalis (6/52 [12%]), Icterohemorrhagiae (4/52 [8%]), Tarassovi (2/52 [4%]), and Canicola (1/52 [2%]). All 91 people were seronegative for antibodies against Leptospira serovars. Therefore, statistical evaluation of risk factors and comparison of patterns of seroreactivity to Leptospira serovars between human and canine subjects were limited to theoretical risks. Seroreactivity to Leptospira serovars among veterinary staff adhering to standard hygiene protocols and pet owners exposed to dogs with acute leptospirosis was uncommon.

The relationship between landscape patterns and human-caused fire occurrence in Spain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castafreda-Aumedes, S.; Garcia-Martin, A.; Vega-Garcia, C.

2013-05-01

Aim of study: Human settlements and activities have completely modified landscape structure in the Mediterranean region. Vegetation patterns show the interactions between human activities and natural processes on the territory, and allow understanding historical ecological processes and socioeconomic factors. The arrangement of land uses in the rural landscape can be perceived as a proxy for human activities that often lead to the use, and escape, of fire, the most important disturbance in our forest landscapes. In this context, we tried to predict human-caused fire occurrence in a 5-year period by quantifying landscape patterns. Area of study: This study analyses the Spanish territory included in the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands (497,166 km{sup 2}). Material and Methods: We evaluated spatial pattern applying a set of commonly used landscape ecology metrics to landscape windows of 10x10 sq km (4751 units in the UTM grid) overlaid on the Forest Map of Spain, MFE200. Main results: The best logistic regression model obtained included Shannon's Diversity Index, Mean Patch Edge and Mean Shape Index as explicative variables and the global percentage of correct predictions was 66.3 %. Research highlights: Our results suggested that the highest probability of fire occurrence at that time was associated with areas with a greater diversity of land uses and with more compact patches with fewer edges. (Author) 58 refs.

Mechanism of toxicity of MPTP: A cause of Parkinsonism in human beings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Denton, T.L.

1988-01-01

1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) was found in 1983 to cause a syndrome virtually identical to Parkinson's Disease in humans and other primates. The symptoms, as in idiopathic Parkinson's syndrome, are due to destruction of dopaminergic neurons in the pars compacta of the substantia nigra resulting in depletion of dopamine in the basal ganglia. The mechanism of toxicity was investigated with a dopamine containing cell line, PC12, a MPTP resistant variant (MPTP r ), and synaptosomes from the striate cortex of mice, rats, guinea pigs and a monkey. The mechanism of acute effects was studied with membrane preparations from human and rat striate cortex. MPTP displaced [ 3 H]haloperidol from binding sites in human and rat striate cortex, but could not displace [ 3 H]flupenthixol, suggesting that MPTP is a D2 receptor ligand of equivalent potency in both species. MPTP was a competitive inhibitor of uptake of [ 3 H]dopamine in PC12 but did not accumulate in PC12 or in synaptosomes of rat, guinea pig, mouse or monkey striate cortex. 100 uM MPTP depleted catecholamine levels in PC12 cells by about 50%, without killing

Organotin compounds cause structure-dependent induction of progesterone in human choriocarcinoma Jar cells.

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Hiromori, Youhei; Yui, Hiroki; Nishikawa, Jun-ichi; Nagase, Hisamitsu; Nakanishi, Tsuyoshi

2016-01-01

Organotin compounds, such as tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPT), are typical environmental contaminants and suspected endocrine-disrupting chemicals because they cause masculinization in female mollusks. In addition, previous studies have suggested that the endocrine disruption by organotin compounds leads to activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ and retinoid X receptor (RXR). However, whether organotin compounds cause crucial toxicities in human development and reproduction is unclear. We here investigated the structure-dependent effect of 12 tin compounds on mRNA transcription of 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type I (3β-HSD I) and progesterone production in human choriocarcinoma Jar cells. TBT, TPT, dibutyltin, monophenyltin, tripropyltin, and tricyclohexyltin enhanced progesterone production in a dose-dependent fashion. Although tetraalkyltin compounds such as tetrabutyltin increased progesterone production, the concentrations necessary for activation were 30-100 times greater than those for trialkyltins. All tested active organotins increased 3β-HSD I mRNA transcription. We further investigated the correlation between the agonistic activity of organotin compounds on PPARγ and their ability to promote progesterone production. Except for DBTCl2, the active organotins significantly induced the transactivation function of PPARγ. In addition, PPARγ knockdown significantly suppressed the induction of mRNA transcription of 3β-HSD I by all active organotins except DBTCl2. These results suggest that some organotin compounds promote progesterone biosynthesis in vitro by inducing 3β-HSD I mRNA transcription via the PPARγ signaling pathway. The placenta represents a potential target organ for these compounds, whose endocrine-disrupting effects might cause local changes in progesterone concentration in pregnant women. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Editorial

African Journals Online (AJOL)

with inadequate primary care and poor health system infrastructure in the same ... diseases (malaria, dengue, yellow-fever, leptospirosis, tetanus and human .... active surveillance for changes in creatinine can automate alerts to guide drug ...

Improving fire season definition by optimized temporal modelling of daily human-caused ignitions.

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Costafreda-Aumedes, S; Vega-Garcia, C; Comas, C

2018-07-01

Wildfire suppression management is usually based on fast control of all ignitions, especially in highly populated countries with pervasive values-at-risk. To minimize values-at-risk loss by improving response time of suppression resources it is necessary to anticipate ignitions, which are mainly caused by people. Previous studies have found that human-ignition patterns change spatially and temporally depending on socio-economic activities, hence, the deployment of suppression resources along the year should consider these patterns. However, full suppression capacity is operational only within legally established fire seasons, driven by past events and budgets, which limits response capacity and increases damages out of them. The aim of this study was to assess the temporal definition of fire seasons from the perspective of human-ignition patterns for the case study of Spain, where people cause over 95% of fires. Humans engage in activities that use fire as a tool in certain periods within a year, and in locations linked to specific spatial factors. Geographic variables (population, infrastructures, physiography and land uses) were used as explanatory variables for human-ignition patterns. The changing influence of these geographic variables on occurrence along the year was analysed with day-by-day logistic regression models. Daily models were built for all the municipal units in the two climatic regions in Spain (Atlantic and Mediterranean Spain) from 2002 to 2014, and similar models were grouped within continuous periods, designated as ignition-based seasons. We found three ignition-based seasons in the Mediterranean region and five in the Atlantic zones, not coincidental with calendar seasons, but with a high degree of agreement with current legally designated operational fire seasons. Our results suggest that an additional late-winter-early-spring fire season in the Mediterranean area and the extension of this same season in the Atlantic zone should be re

Avaliação da contraimunoeletroforese com antígenos dos sorovars icterohaemorrhagiae E patoc no diagnóstico sorológico da leptospirose humana Evaluation of counterimmunoeletrophoresis with the serovars icterohaemorrhagiae and patoc antigens in the diagnosis of human leptospirosis

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Paulo H. Yasuda

1991-12-01

Full Text Available Avaliou-se o desempenho da contraimunoeletroforese (CIE no diagnóstico sorológico da leptospirose humana utilizando três tipos de antígenos derivados da L. interrogans sorovar icterohaemorrhagiae e do sorovar patoc da L. biflexa. Comparou-se os resultados obtidos na CIE com a prova de referência a soroaglutinação microscópica (SAM. Soros pareados de 135 pacientes com leptospirose foram subdivididos em 4 grupos de acordo com os resultados da SAM. Como controle coletou-se sangue de 69 indivíduos sadios. A concordância entre as duas técnicas variou de 92,64 a 94,11%. Os resultados obtidos pela CIE com os antígenos do sorovar icterohaemorrhagiae foram mais favoráveis do que aqueles derivados do patoc. Ressaltam-se as características de elevada sensibilidade detectando anticorpos antileptospiras mais precocemente do que a microaglutinação. As características encontradas no presente estudo credenciam o emprego da CIE como um método útil e prático para o diagnóstico da leptospirose humana na fase aguda da doença.Counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE was applied on paired sera from 135 pacients with leptospirosis and on 69 sera from a control group. The sera from pacients were subdivided in 4 groups according to the results obtained by the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT. The first samples sera from 58 pacientes were non reagent by MAT. Six monthly samples of sera were taken from 7 patients to follow-up and to determine the level of agglutinin and precipitin antibodies present using MAT and CIE. Serovars icterohaemorrhagie and patoc were used as antigens. Three types of antigens were compared, 1 Triton-X-100 extracted; 2 heat extacted and 3 a pool of them. The CIE using icterohaemorrhagiae derivated antigens types agreed with MAT in 92.64, 92.64 and 94.11% of the leptospirosis sera. The patoc antigens types reacted with the control group in 7.24, 86.95 and 84.05% of the samples, and consequently were eliminated from the present

Differential Activation of Human Keratinocytes by Leishmania Species Causing Localized or Disseminated Disease.

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Scorza, Breanna M; Wacker, Mark A; Messingham, Kelly; Kim, Peter; Klingelhutz, Aloysius; Fairley, Janet; Wilson, Mary E

2017-10-01

All Leishmania species parasites are introduced into mammalian skin through a sand fly bite, but different species cause distinct clinical outcomes. Mouse studies suggest that early responses are critical determinants of subsequent adaptive immunity in leishmaniasis, yet few studies address the role of keratinocytes, the most abundant cell in the epidermis. We hypothesized that Leishmania infection causes keratinocytes to produce immunomodulatory factors that influence the outcome of infection. Incubation of primary or immortalized human keratinocytes with Leishmania infantum or Leishmania major, which cause visceral or cutaneous leishmaniasis, respectively, elicited dramatically different responses. Keratinocytes incubated with L. infantum significantly increased expression of proinflammatory genes for IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor, and IL-1B, whereas keratinocytes exposed to several L. major isolates did not. Furthermore, keratinocyte-monocyte co-incubation studies across a 4 µM semipermeable membrane suggested that L. infantum-exposed keratinocytes release soluble factors that enhance monocyte control of intracellular L. infantum replication (P Leishmania species that may affect the course of disease. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Variáveis climáticas, condições de vida e saúde da população: a leptospirose no município do Rio de Janeiro de 1996 a 2009 Climate variables, living conditions and the health of the population: leptospirosis in the city of Rio de Janeiro from 1996 to 2009

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Teresa Vieira dos Santos de Oliveira

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Os eventos climáticos extremos têm fortes repercussões na saúde das pessoas, especialmente quando produz doenças ou mesmo quando provoca vítimas por acidentes. A população do Rio de Janeiro é vulnerável diante das variabilidades climáticas, principalmente pelo seu aspecto socioeconômico, pois o município tem topografia e clima que favorecem esta vulnerabilidade. Este artigo discute a evolução da leptospirose no Município do Rio de Janeiro, pelas trinta e duas Regiões administrativas, no período de 1996 a 2009, testando a hipótese de que as variações climáticas acarretam um aumento no número de casos da doença.Os dados meteorológicos utilizados foram fornecidos pelo Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia e pela Empresa Brasileira de Infra-Estrutura Aero-Portuária Os dados referentes à morbimortalidade da leptospirose foram coletados da Secretaria Municipal de Saúde e Defesa Civil/RJ. Neste trabalho, concluiu-se que há correlação entre a incidência da leptospirose e a pluviometria. No entanto, ao final, é enfatizado que a oscilação do número de casos não é determinada apenas pelo índice pluviométrico, outros fatores influenciam nessa dinâmica, tais como: saneamento, assim como fatores ambientais e sociais.Extreme climate events have major repercussions on the health of the population, especially when they cause disease or even result in victims due to accidents. The population of Rio de Janeiro is vulnerable to climate variations, mainly due to the socio-economic factors, as the city has a topography and climate that enhance this vulnerability. This article discusses the evolution of leptospirosis in the thirty-two administrative regions of the city of Rio de Janeiro from 1996 through 2009, testing the hypothesis that climate variations lead to an increase in the number of cases of the disease. The meteorological data examined were provided by the National Meteorology Institute and the Brazilian Airport

Interaction of Leptospira interrogans with Human Proteolytic Systems Enhances Dissemination through Endothelial Cells and Protease Levels

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Vieira, Monica L.; Alvarez-Flores, Miryam P.; Kirchgatter, Karin; Romero, Eliete C.; Alves, Ivy J.; de Morais, Zenaide M.; Vasconcellos, Silvio A.; Chudzinski-Tavassi, Ana M.

2013-01-01

We have recently reported the ability of Leptospira to capture plasminogen (PLG) and generate plasmin (PLA) bound on the microbial surface in the presence of exogenous activators. In this work, we examined the effects of leptospiral PLG binding for active penetration through the endothelial cell barrier and activation. The results indicate that leptospires with PLG association or PLA activation have enhanced migration activity through human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) monolayers compared with untreated bacteria. Leptospira cells coated with PLG were capable of stimulating the expression of PLG activators by HUVECs. Moreover, leptospires endowed with PLG or PLA promoted transcriptional upregulation matrix metalloprotease 9 (MMP-9). Serum samples from patients with confirmed leptospirosis showed higher levels of PLG activators and total MMP-9 than serum samples from normal (healthy) subjects. The highest level of PLG activators and total MMP-9 was detected with microscopic agglutination test (MAT)-negative serum samples, suggesting that this proteolytic activity stimulation occurs at the early stage of the disease. Furthermore, a gelatin zymography profile obtained for MMPs with serum samples from patients with leptospirosis appears to be specific to leptospiral infection because serum samples from patients with unrelated infectious diseases produced no similar degradation bands. Altogether, the data suggest that the Leptospira-associated PLG or PLA might represent a mechanism that contributes to bacterial penetration of endothelial cells through an activation cascade of events that enhances the proteolytic capability of the organism. To our knowledge, this is the first proteolytic activity associated with leptospiral pathogenesis described to date. PMID:23478319

Molecular Detection of Leptospiral DNA in Environmental Water on St. Kitts

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Julienne Rawlins

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is an important waterborne zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira. The pathogen is maintained in a population due to chronic colonization and shedding from renal tubules of domestic and wild animals. Humans and other animals become infected when they come in contact with urine from infected animals, either directly or through urine-contaminated surface water. In this study, we screened environmental water on the island of St. Kitts by using a TaqMan based real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR targeting a pathogen specific leptospiral gene, lipl32. Our results indicate that around one-fifth of tested water sources have detectable leptospiral DNA.

Saffold virus, a human Theiler's-like cardiovirus, is ubiquitous and causes infection early in life.

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Jan Zoll

2009-05-01

Full Text Available The family Picornaviridae contains well-known human pathogens (e.g., poliovirus, coxsackievirus, rhinovirus, and parechovirus. In addition, this family contains a number of viruses that infect animals, including members of the genus Cardiovirus such as Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV and Theiler's murine encephalomyelits virus (TMEV. The latter are important murine pathogens that cause myocarditis, type 1 diabetes and chronic inflammation in the brains, mimicking multiple sclerosis. Recently, a new picornavirus was isolated from humans, named Saffold virus (SAFV. The virus is genetically related to Theiler's virus and classified as a new species in the genus Cardiovirus, which until the discovery of SAFV did not contain human viruses. By analogy with the rodent cardioviruses, SAFV may be a relevant new human pathogen. Thus far, SAFVs have sporadically been detected by molecular techniques in respiratory and fecal specimens, but the epidemiology and clinical significance remained unclear. Here we describe the first cultivated SAFV type 3 (SAFV-3 isolate, its growth characteristics, full-length sequence, and epidemiology. Unlike the previously isolated SAFV-1 and -2 viruses, SAFV-3 showed efficient growth in several cell lines with a clear cytopathic effect. The latter allowed us to conduct a large-scale serological survey by a virus-neutralization assay. This survey showed that infection by SAFV-3 occurs early in life (>75% positive at 24 months and that the seroprevalence reaches >90% in older children and adults. Neutralizing antibodies were found in serum samples collected in several countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia. In conclusion, this study describes the first cultivated SAFV-3 isolate, its full-length sequence, and epidemiology. SAFV-3 is a highly common and widespread human virus causing infection in early childhood. This finding has important implications for understanding the impact of these ubiquitous viruses and their possible

Avian influenza viruses that cause highly virulent infections in humans exhibit distinct replicative properties in contrast to human H1N1 viruses

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Simon, Philippe F.; de La Vega, Marc-Antoine; Paradis, Éric; Mendoza, Emelissa; Coombs, Kevin M.; Kobasa, Darwyn; Beauchemin, Catherine A. A.

2016-04-01

Avian influenza viruses present an emerging epidemiological concern as some strains of H5N1 avian influenza can cause severe infections in humans with lethality rates of up to 60%. These have been in circulation since 1997 and recently a novel H7N9-subtyped virus has been causing epizootics in China with lethality rates around 20%. To better understand the replication kinetics of these viruses, we combined several extensive viral kinetics experiments with mathematical modelling of in vitro infections in human A549 cells. We extracted fundamental replication parameters revealing that, while both the H5N1 and H7N9 viruses replicate faster and to higher titers than two low-pathogenicity H1N1 strains, they accomplish this via different mechanisms. While the H7N9 virions exhibit a faster rate of infection, the H5N1 virions are produced at a higher rate. Of the two H1N1 strains studied, the 2009 pandemic H1N1 strain exhibits the longest eclipse phase, possibly indicative of a less effective neuraminidase activity, but causes infection more rapidly than the seasonal strain. This explains, in part, the pandemic strain’s generally slower growth kinetics and permissiveness to accept mutations causing neuraminidase inhibitor resistance without significant loss in fitness. Our results highlight differential growth properties of H1N1, H5N1 and H7N9 influenza viruses.

Anti-leptospirose agglutinins in equine sera, from São Paulo, Goias, and Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, 1996-2001

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H. Langoni

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Equine leptospirosis can present a non-symptomatic form, an acute clinical form, or even develop chronically, causing reproductive alterations, such as abortion and recurrent uveitis. Since the prevalence of leptospirosis in several countries and regions is widely reported, the objective of this study was to verify the prevailing equine leptospirosis in different regions of Brazil. Sera from 1402 blood samples from horses of different age, sex, breed, and purpose were examined. These samples came from southeastern and central west states of Brazil. The method utilized was the Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT, with 12 different Leptospira serovars. From the sera tested, 754 (54% were positive for one (385 or more (372 serovars. These results were higher when compared to national and international levels. The most commonly found serovars were icterohaemorrhagiae (37.01%, suggesting exposure to rodents, castellonis (16.97%, and djasiman (15.19%. There were significant differences of reagents between sexes, and a tendency toward higher positivity with age. Distribution of sera-reagents related to aptitude showed a markedly higher value for work animals than for sporting ones. Higher rates were found for animals with undefined breed. There were no significant differences related to regional origin. As an indication of multiple exposure, significant associations were observed between the following serovars: castellonis and djasiman; castellonis and grippotyphosa; castellonis and copenhageni; castellonis and icterohaemorrhagiae; castellonis and pomona; canicola and pomona; canicola and djasiman; djasiman and copenhageni; icterohaemorrhagiae and djasiman; icterohaemorrhagiae and pyrogenes; copenhageni and pomona. These results showed the necessity of further studies on the epidemiology of this disease in equines and its relationship to human illness.

Mutations in HYAL2, Encoding Hyaluronidase 2, Cause a Syndrome of Orofacial Clefting and Cor Triatriatum Sinister in Humans and Mice.

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Martina M A Muggenthaler

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Orofacial clefting is amongst the most common of birth defects, with both genetic and environmental components. Although numerous studies have been undertaken to investigate the complexities of the genetic etiology of this heterogeneous condition, this factor remains incompletely understood. Here, we describe mutations in the HYAL2 gene as a cause of syndromic orofacial clefting. HYAL2, encoding hyaluronidase 2, degrades extracellular hyaluronan, a critical component of the developing heart and palatal shelf matrix. Transfection assays demonstrated that the gene mutations destabilize the molecule, dramatically reducing HYAL2 protein levels. Consistent with the clinical presentation in affected individuals, investigations of Hyal2-/- mice revealed craniofacial abnormalities, including submucosal cleft palate. In addition, cor triatriatum sinister and hearing loss, identified in a proportion of Hyal2-/- mice, were also found as incompletely penetrant features in affected humans. Taken together our findings identify a new genetic cause of orofacial clefting in humans and mice, and define the first molecular cause of human cor triatriatum sinister, illustrating the fundamental importance of HYAL2 and hyaluronan turnover for normal human and mouse development.

The OmpL37 surface-exposed protein is expressed by pathogenic Leptospira during infection and binds skin and vascular elastin.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinne, Marija; Choy, Henry A; Haake, David A

2010-09-07

Pathogenic Leptospira spp. shed in the urine of reservoir hosts into freshwater can be transmitted to a susceptible host through skin abrasions or mucous membranes causing leptospirosis. The infection process involves the ability of leptospires to adhere to cell surface and extracellular matrix components, a crucial step for dissemination and colonization of host tissues. Therefore, the elucidation of novel mediators of host-pathogen interaction is important in the discovery of virulence factors involved in the pathogenesis of leptospirosis. In this study, we assess the functional roles of transmembrane outer membrane proteins OmpL36 (LIC13166), OmpL37 (LIC12263), and OmpL47 (LIC13050), which we recently identified on the leptospiral surface. We determine the capacity of these proteins to bind to host tissue components by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. OmpL37 binds elastin preferentially, exhibiting dose-dependent, saturating binding to human skin (K(d), 104±19 nM) and aortic elastin (K(d), 152±27 nM). It also binds fibrinogen (K(d), 244±15 nM), fibrinogen fragment D (K(d), 132±30 nM), plasma fibronectin (K(d), 359±68 nM), and murine laminin (K(d), 410±81 nM). The binding to human skin elastin by both recombinant OmpL37 and live Leptospira interrogans is specifically enhanced by rabbit antiserum for OmpL37, suggesting the involvement of OmpL37 in leptospiral binding to elastin and also the possibility that host-generated antibodies may promote rather than inhibit the adherence of leptospires to elastin-rich tissues. Further, we demonstrate that OmpL37 is recognized by acute and convalescent leptospirosis patient sera and also by Leptospira-infected hamster sera. Finally, OmpL37 protein is detected in pathogenic Leptospira serovars and not in saprophytic Leptospira. Thus, OmpL37 is a novel elastin-binding protein of pathogenic Leptospira that may be promoting attachment of Leptospira to host tissues.

An Emerging Tick-Borne Disease of Humans Is Caused by a Subset of Strains with Conserved Genome Structure

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Barbet, Anthony F.; Al-Khedery, Basima; Stuen, Snorre; Granquist, Erik G.; Felsheim, Roderick F.; Munderloh, Ulrike G.

2013-01-01

The prevalence of tick-borne diseases is increasing worldwide. One such emerging disease is human anaplasmosis. The causative organism, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, is known to infect multiple animal species and cause human fatalities in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Although long known to infect ruminants, it is unclear why there are increasing numbers of human infections. We analyzed the genome sequences of strains infecting humans, animals and ticks from diverse geographic locations. Despite extensive variability amongst these strains, those infecting humans had conserved genome structure including the pfam01617 superfamily that encodes the major, neutralization-sensitive, surface antigen. These data provide potential targets to identify human-infective strains and have significance for understanding the selective pressures that lead to emergence of disease in new species. PMID:25437207

Weil’s disease in a 36 years old female: a case report

Science.gov (United States)

Rozalena, S.; Handayani, L.; Arman, A.; Permata, M.; Hudari, H.

2018-03-01

Leptospirosis is an acute zoonotic infection, itis caused by spirochetes of the genus Leptospira, has extensive vasculitis characterizes, can usually be transmitted indirectly, per contaminated water, rarely directly, and through contact with infected animals. Leptospira bacteria commonly enter the body through the damaged skin or mucous membranes. The clinical syndromes may vary from a subclinical infection and mild febrile condition to severe clinical symptoms with jaundice and renal failure. It is the case report from a woman 36 years old with leptospirosis (Weil’s disease) whose clinical manifestations included: icterus, renal failure, hemorrhagic syndrome and disturbances of consciousness. After the use of antibiotics, symptomatic and substitution therapy, all symptoms resolved completely.

Historical review of the causes of cancer.

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Blackadar, Clarke Brian

2016-02-10

In the early 1900s, numerous seminal publications reported that high rates of cancer occurred in certain occupations. During this period, work with infectious agents produced only meager results which seemed irrelevant to humans. Then in the 1980s ground breaking evidence began to emerge that a variety of viruses also cause cancer in humans. There is now sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans for human T-cell lymphotrophic virus, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, human papillomavirus, Epstein-Barr virus, and human herpes virus 8 according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Many other causes of cancer have also been identified by the IARC, which include: Sunlight, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, hormones, alcohol, parasites, fungi, bacteria, salted fish, wood dust, and herbs. The World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research have determined additional causes of cancer, which include beta carotene, red meat, processed meats, low fibre diets, not breast feeding, obesity, increased adult height and sedentary lifestyles. In brief, a historical review of the discoveries of the causes of human cancer is presented with extended discussions of the difficulties encountered in identifying viral causes of cancer.

The association between serum potassium at hospital admission and the case-fatality rate of leptospirosis in men Associação entre potássio sérico na admissão hospitalar e letalidade da leptospirose em homens

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Antonio Alberto LOPES

2001-08-01

Full Text Available Severe leptospirosis affects predominantly males and presents a high susceptibility to hypokalemic acute renal failure. As hypokalemia and hyperkalemia induce severe complications, it is important to evaluate if the initial serum potassium is an independent risk factor for death in leptospirosis. The medical records of 1016 patients hospitalized with the diagnosis of leptospirosis were reviewed. The analysis was restricted to 442, according to the following criteria: male, 18 years or older, information about death or hospital discharge and recorded values of serum potassium, serum creatinine and duration of symptoms at admission. Potassium values lower than 3.5 mEq/L (hypoK, 3.5-5 mEq/L (normoK and above 5 mEq/L (hyperK were detected in 180, 245 and 17 patients, respectively. The death rate increased with serum potassium: 11.1% in the hypoK, 14.7% in the normoK and 47.1% in the hyperK group (p = 0.002. In a logistic regression model (normoK as referent, including age, creatinine and duration of symptoms, hypoK was not associated with increased death rate (odds ratio (OR = 0.80; p > 0.1. On the other hand, hyperK showed a significant association with increased risk of death (OR = 3.95, p = 0.021. In conclusion, in this sample of men with leptospirosis initial serum potassium was positively and independently correlated with the risk of in-hospital death.Leptospirose grave afeta predominantemente os homens e apresenta alta susceptibilidade para insuficiência renal aguda com hipocalemia. Como hipocalemia e hipercalemia induzem complicações graves, é importante avaliar se o potássio sérico é um independente fator de risco de morte na leptospirose. Foram revistos os prontuários de 1016 pacientes internados com o diagnóstico de leptospirose. A análise foi restrita a 442, obedecendo os seguintes critérios: sexo masculino, idade igual ou superior a 18 anos, informação sobre morte ou alta hospitalar e registro dos valores do potássio s

Features of Two New Proteins with OmpA-Like Domains Identified in the Genome Sequences of Leptospira interrogans

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Teixeira, Aline F.; de Morais, Zenaide M.; Kirchgatter, Karin; Romero, Eliete C.; Vasconcellos, Silvio A.; Nascimento, Ana Lucia T. O.

2015-01-01

Leptospirosis is an acute febrile disease caused by pathogenic spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. It is considered an important re-emerging infectious disease that affects humans worldwide. The knowledge about the mechanisms by which pathogenic leptospires invade and colonize the host remains limited since very few virulence factors contributing to the pathogenesis of the disease have been identified. Here, we report the identification and characterization of two new leptospiral proteins with OmpA-like domains. The recombinant proteins, which exhibit extracellular matrix-binding properties, are called Lsa46 - LIC13479 and Lsa77 - LIC10050 (Leptospiral surface adhesins of 46 and 77 kDa, respectively). Attachment of Lsa46 and Lsa77 to laminin was specific, dose dependent and saturable, with KD values of 24.3 ± 17.0 and 53.0 ± 17.5 nM, respectively. Lsa46 and Lsa77 also bind plasma fibronectin, and both adhesins are plasminogen (PLG)-interacting proteins, capable of generating plasmin (PLA) and as such, increase the proteolytic ability of leptospires. The proteins corresponding to Lsa46 and Lsa77 are present in virulent L. interrogans L1-130 and in saprophyte L. biflexa Patoc 1 strains, as detected by immunofluorescence. The adhesins are recognized by human leptospirosis serum samples at the onset and convalescent phases of the disease, suggesting that they are expressed during infection. Taken together, our data could offer valuable information to the understanding of leptospiral pathogenesis. PMID:25849456

Features of two new proteins with OmpA-like domains identified in the genome sequences of Leptospira interrogans.

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Aline F Teixeira

Full Text Available Leptospirosis is an acute febrile disease caused by pathogenic spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. It is considered an important re-emerging infectious disease that affects humans worldwide. The knowledge about the mechanisms by which pathogenic leptospires invade and colonize the host remains limited since very few virulence factors contributing to the pathogenesis of the disease have been identified. Here, we report the identification and characterization of two new leptospiral proteins with OmpA-like domains. The recombinant proteins, which exhibit extracellular matrix-binding properties, are called Lsa46 - LIC13479 and Lsa77 - LIC10050 (Leptospiral surface adhesins of 46 and 77 kDa, respectively. Attachment of Lsa46 and Lsa77 to laminin was specific, dose dependent and saturable, with KD values of 24.3 ± 17.0 and 53.0 ± 17.5 nM, respectively. Lsa46 and Lsa77 also bind plasma fibronectin, and both adhesins are plasminogen (PLG-interacting proteins, capable of generating plasmin (PLA and as such, increase the proteolytic ability of leptospires. The proteins corresponding to Lsa46 and Lsa77 are present in virulent L. interrogans L1-130 and in saprophyte L. biflexa Patoc 1 strains, as detected by immunofluorescence. The adhesins are recognized by human leptospirosis serum samples at the onset and convalescent phases of the disease, suggesting that they are expressed during infection. Taken together, our data could offer valuable information to the understanding of leptospiral pathogenesis.

Enzyme studies with human and hen autopsy tissue suggest omethoate does not cause delayed neuropathy in man.

Science.gov (United States)

Lotti, M; Ferrara, S D; Caroldi, S; Sinigaglia, F

1981-11-01

Levels of acetylcholinesterase and neurotoxic esterase were measured in brain autopsy material. In tissue from a fatal human poisoning and from hens given 4-8 x unprotected LD50 AChE was highly inhibited and neurotoxic esterase uninhibited. The findings correlate with the inhibitory power of omethoate against these enzymes in vitro. It is concluded that omethoate has negligible potential to cause delayed neuropathy and a published report of human neuropathy due to omethoate is criticised.

Viral Causes of Lymphoma: The History of Epstein-Barr Virus and Human T-Lymphotropic Virus 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Esau, Daniel

2017-01-01

In 1964, Epstein, Barr, and Achong published a report outlining their discovery of viral particles in lymphoblasts isolated from a patient with Burkitt lymphoma. The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was the first human cancer virus to be described, and its discovery paved the way for further investigations into the oncogenic potential of viruses. In the decades following the discovery of EBV, multinational research efforts led to the discovery of further viral causes of various human cancers. Lymphomas are perhaps the cancer type that is most closely associated with oncogenic viruses: infection with EBV, human T-lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus/human herpesvirus 8, and hepatitis C virus have all been associated with lymphomagenesis. Lymphomas have also played an important role in the history of oncoviruses, as both the first human oncovirus (EBV) and the first human retrovirus (HTLV-1) were discovered through isolates taken from patients with unique lymphoma syndromes. The history of the discovery of these 2 key oncoviruses is presented here, and their impact on further medical research, using the specific example of HIV research, is briefly discussed.

Viral Causes of Lymphoma: The History of Epstein-Barr Virus and Human T-Lymphotropic Virus 1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Esau

2017-09-01

Full Text Available In 1964, Epstein, Barr, and Achong published a report outlining their discovery of viral particles in lymphoblasts isolated from a patient with Burkitt lymphoma. The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV was the first human cancer virus to be described, and its discovery paved the way for further investigations into the oncogenic potential of viruses. In the decades following the discovery of EBV, multinational research efforts led to the discovery of further viral causes of various human cancers. Lymphomas are perhaps the cancer type that is most closely associated with oncogenic viruses: infection with EBV, human T-lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus/human herpesvirus 8, and hepatitis C virus have all been associated with lymphomagenesis. Lymphomas have also played an important role in the history of oncoviruses, as both the first human oncovirus (EBV and the first human retrovirus (HTLV-1 were discovered through isolates taken from patients with unique lymphoma syndromes. The history of the discovery of these 2 key oncoviruses is presented here, and their impact on further medical research, using the specific example of HIV research, is briefly discussed.

Evaluation of the use of selective PCR amplification of LPS biosynthesis genes for molecular typing of leptospira at the serovar level

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bezerra da Silva, Josefa; Carvalho, Eneas; Hartskeerl, Rudy A.; Ho, Paulo L.

2011-01-01

Leptospirosis is an important epidemic zoonosis worldwide. Currently, there are more than 250 Leptospira pathogenic serovars known that can potentially infect humans. Conventional classification of leptospires with the serovar as the basic taxon, based on serological recognition of

The use of nanoencapsulation to decrease human skin irritation caused by capsaicinoids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Contri RV

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Renata V Contri,1 Luiza A Frank,2 Moacir Kaiser,1 Adriana R Pohlmann,1,3 Silvia S Guterres1,2 1Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, 2Faculdade de Farmácia, 3Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil Abstract: Capsaicin, a topical analgesic used in the treatment of chronic pain, has irritant properties that frequently interrupt its use. In this work, the effect of nanoencapsulation of the main capsaicinoids (capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin on skin irritation was tested in humans. Skin tolerance of a novel vehicle composed of chitosan hydrogel containing nonloaded nanocapsules (CH-NC was also evaluated. The chitosan hydrogel containing nanoencapsulated capsaicinoids (CH-NC-CP did not cause skin irritation, as measured by an erythema probe and on a visual scale, while a formulation containing free capsaicinoids (chitosan gel with hydroalcoholic solution [CH-ET-CP] and a commercially available capsaicinoids formulation caused skin irritation. Thirty-one percent of volunteers reported slight irritation one hour after application of CH-NC-CP, while moderate (46% [CH-ET-CP] and 23% [commercial product] and severe (8% [CH-ET-CP] and 69% [commercial product] irritation were described for the formulations containing free capsaicinoids. When CH-NC was applied to the skin, erythema was not observed and only 8% of volunteers felt slight irritation, which demonstrates the utility of the novel vehicle. A complementary in vitro skin permeation study showed that permeation of capsaicinoids through an epidermal human membrane was reduced but not prevented by nanoencapsulation. Keywords: chitosan, nanocapsules, capsaicinoids, skin irritation, skin permeation

Study of human factors, and its basic aspects focusing the IEA-R1 research reactor operators, aiming at the prevention of accidents caused by human failures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martins, Maria da Penha Sanches

2008-01-01

This work presents a study of human factors and possible human failure reasons that can cause incidents, accidents and workers exposition, associated to risks intrinsic to the profession. The objective is to contribute with the operators of IEA-R1 reactor located at IPEN CNEN/S P. Accidents in the technological field, including the nuclear, have shown that the causes are much more connected to human failure than to system and equipment failures, what has led the regulatory bodies to consider studies on human failure. The research proposed in this work is quantitative/qualitative and also descriptive. Two questionnaires were used to collect data. The first of them was elaborated from the safety culture attributes which are described by the International Atomic Energy Agency - IAEA. The second considered individual and situational factors composing categories that could affect people in the work area. A carefully selected transcription of the theoretical basis according to the study of human factors was used. The methodology demonstrated a good reliability degree. Results lead to mediate factors which need direct actions concerning the needs of the group and of the individual. This research shows that it is necessary to have a really effective unit of planning and organization, not only to the physical and psychological health issues but also to the safety in the work. (author)

Cancer-causing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ullrich, R.L.; Holland, J.M.; Storer, J.B.

1977-01-01

Radiation causes cancer. That simple fact was known by the early 1900s. Further, radiation can induce cancer in almost any tissue in animals and humans. But the cancer-causing dose may vary by 20-fold for different tissues in animals. Such variation is also seen in people who are exposed, typically, to low radiation doses. Hence, the minimum dose that causes human cancer is not known. Thus, the crucial question becomes what factors, including amount of exposure, trigger cancer. Radiation is divided into two types, ionizing and nonionizing. Of the two, ionizing radiation involves higher energies. Thus by ejecting electrons from molecules, charged particles called ion pairs are formed. They are short-lived, and often break down to form highly reactive free radicals, which are molecular fragments containing unpaired electrons. Nonionizing radiation, which involves ultraviolet light and micro- and radiowaves, causes molecular excitations such as vibrations and electron movement, but produces no ions. And though ultraviolet light causes skin cancer, ionizing radiation is, by far, the more potent carcinogen

Cloning, expression, and homology modeling of GroEL protein from Leptospira interrogans serovar autumnalis strain N2.

Science.gov (United States)

Natarajaseenivasan, Kalimuthusamy; Shanmughapriya, Santhanam; Velineni, Sridhar; Artiushin, Sergey C; Timoney, John F

2011-10-01

Leptospirosis is an infectious bacterial disease caused by Leptospira species. In this study, we cloned and sequenced the gene encoding the immunodominant protein GroEL from L. interrogans serovar Autumnalis strain N2, which was isolated from the urine of a patient during an outbreak of leptospirosis in Chennai, India. This groEL gene encodes a protein of 60 kDa with a high degree of homology (99% similarity) to those of other leptospiral serovars. Recombinant GroEL was overexpressed in Escherichia coli. Immunoblot analysis indicated that the sera from confirmed leptospirosis patients showed strong reactivity with the recombinant GroEL while no reactivity was observed with the sera from seronegative control patient. In addition, the 3D structure of GroEL was constructed using chaperonin complex cpn60 from Thermus thermophilus as template and validated. The results indicated a Z-score of -8.35, which is in good agreement with the expected value for a protein. The superposition of the Ca traces of cpn60 structure and predicted structure of leptospiral GroEL indicates good agreement of secondary structure elements with an RMSD value of 1.5 Å. Further study is necessary to evaluate GroEL for serological diagnosis of leptospirosis and for its potential as a vaccine component. Copyright © 2011 Beijing Genomics Institute. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical, serological and echocardiographic examination of healthy field dogs before and after vaccination with a commercial tetravalent leptospirosis vaccine.

Science.gov (United States)

Spiri, Andrea M; Rodriguez-Campos, Sabrina; Matos, José M; Glaus, Tony M; Riond, Barbara; Reusch, Claudia E; Hofmann-Lehmann, Regina; Willi, Barbara

2017-05-25

Leptospirosis is a re-emerging bacterial zoonosis caused by spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. Severe disease has been reported in dogs in Europe despite vaccination with bivalent Leptospira vaccines. Recently, a tetravalent canine Leptospira vaccine (Nobivac® L4) was licenced in Europe. The goal of this study was to investigate clinical signs, microscopic agglutination test (MAT) titres, haematology, blood biochemistry, cardiac (c) Troponin I levels and echocardiography before and after vaccination with this tetravalent vaccine. Forty-eight healthy dogs were prospectively enrolled and vaccinated twice, 3-4 weeks apart (T0 and T1). Before vaccination (T0) and 16-31 days after the second vaccination (T2), MAT (n = 48), haematology (n = 48), blood biochemistry (n = 36) and cTroponin I measurements (n = 29) were performed, and MAT was repeated 347-413 days after the second vaccination (T3, n = 44). Echocardiography was performed before the first and second vaccination (T0 and T1, n = 24). Mild and transient clinical signs within 5 days following the first and second vaccination occurred in 23% and 10% of the dogs, respectively. Before the first vaccination (T0), all dogs showed negative MAT titres for the tested serovars except for Canicola (50% with titres 100-400). At T2, positive MAT titres to the serovars Canicola (100%), Australis (89%), Grippotyphosa (86%), Bratislava (60%), Autumnalis (58%), Copenhageni (42%), Pomona (12%), Pyrogenes (8%) and Icterohaemorrhagiae (2%) were found. Median to high titres (≥ 400) were most common to the serovar Canicola (92%) and less common to the serovars Australis (41%), Grippotyphosa (21%), Bratislava (12%), Autumnalis (4%), Pyrogenes (4%) and Pomona (2%). At T3, positive MAT titres (titre range: 100-400) were found in 2-18% of the dogs to serovars of the vaccine serogroups and in 2-18% of the dogs to the non-vaccine serovars Pomona, Autumnalis, Pyrogenes and Ballum. Haematology, blood biochemistry, c

Preliminary Investigations on the Distribution of Leptospira Serovars in Domestic Animals in North-west Morocco

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Benkirane, A.; Noury, S.; Hartskeerl, R. A.; Goris, M. G. A.; Ahmed, A.; Nally, J. E.

2016-01-01

Leptospirosis is a neglected zoonosis of global importance with a complex epidemiology that affects humans, domestic and wild mammals. However, due to the diversity of clinical signs and difficulties of establishing a confirmatory laboratory diagnosis, the disease remains poorly investigated,

Global patterns of Leptospira prevalence in vertebrate reservoir hosts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen-Ranberg, Emilie U.; Pipper, Christian Bressen; Jensen, Per Moestrup

2016-01-01

leptospirosis requires more detailed information on animal reservoirs that are the source of human infection. We evaluated the prevalence of Leptospira in vertebrates worldwide and its association with taxonomy, geographic region, host biology, ambient temperature, and precipitation patterns. A multivariate...

In vivo gene expression and immunoreactivity of Leptospira collagenase.

Science.gov (United States)

Janwitthayanan, Weena; Keelawat, Somboon; Payungporn, Sunchai; Lowanitchapat, Alisa; Suwancharoen, Duangjai; Poovorawan, Yong; Chirathaworn, Chintana

2013-06-12

Pulmonary hemorrhage is an increasing cause of death of leptospirosis patients. Bacterial collagenase has been shown to be involved in lung hemorrhage induced by various infectious agents. According to Leptospira whole genome study, colA, a gene suggested to code for bacterial collagenase has been identified. We investigated colA gene expression in lung tissues of Leptospira infected hamsters. Golden Syrian Hamsters were injected intraperitoneally with Leptospira interrogans serovar Pyrogenes. The hamsters were sacrificed on days 3, 5 and 7 post-infection and lung tissues were collected for histological examination and RNA extraction. Lung pathologies including atelectasis and hemorrhage were observed. Expression of colA gene in lung tissues was demonstrated by both RT-PCR and real time PCR. In addition, ColA protein was cloned and the purified protein could react with sera from leptospirosis patients. Leptospira ColA protein may play a role in Leptospira survival or pathogenesis in vivo. Its reaction with leptospirosis sera suggests that this protein is immunogenic and could be another candidate for vaccine development. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Reciprocal mouse and human limb phenotypes caused by gain- and loss-of-function mutations affecting Lmbr1.

OpenAIRE

Clark, R M; Marker, P C; Roessler, E; Dutra, A; Schimenti, J C; Muenke, M; Kingsley, D M

2001-01-01

The major locus for dominant preaxial polydactyly in humans has been mapped to 7q36. In mice the dominant Hemimelic extra toes (Hx) and Hammertoe (Hm) mutations map to a homologous chromosomal region and cause similar limb defects. The Lmbr1 gene is entirely within the small critical intervals recently defined for both the mouse and human mutations and is misexpressed at the exact time that the mouse Hx phenotype becomes apparent during limb development. This result suggests that Lmbr1 may un...

Consensus on consensus: a synthesis of consensus estimates on human-caused global warming

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, John; Oreskes, Naomi; Doran, Peter T.; Anderegg, William R. L.; Verheggen, Bart; Maibach, Ed W.; Carlton, J. Stuart; Lewandowsky, Stephan; Skuce, Andrew G.; Green, Sarah A.; Nuccitelli, Dana; Jacobs, Peter; Richardson, Mark; Winkler, Bärbel; Painting, Rob; Rice, Ken

2016-04-01

The consensus that humans are causing recent global warming is shared by 90%-100% of publishing climate scientists according to six independent studies by co-authors of this paper. Those results are consistent with the 97% consensus reported by Cook et al (Environ. Res. Lett. 8 024024) based on 11 944 abstracts of research papers, of which 4014 took a position on the cause of recent global warming. A survey of authors of those papers (N = 2412 papers) also supported a 97% consensus. Tol (2016 Environ. Res. Lett. 11 048001) comes to a different conclusion using results from surveys of non-experts such as economic geologists and a self-selected group of those who reject the consensus. We demonstrate that this outcome is not unexpected because the level of consensus correlates with expertise in climate science. At one point, Tol also reduces the apparent consensus by assuming that abstracts that do not explicitly state the cause of global warming (‘no position’) represent non-endorsement, an approach that if applied elsewhere would reject consensus on well-established theories such as plate tectonics. We examine the available studies and conclude that the finding of 97% consensus in published climate research is robust and consistent with other surveys of climate scientists and peer-reviewed studies.

Post-translational modification of LipL32 during Leptospira interrogans infection

Science.gov (United States)

Leptospirosis, a re-emerging disease of global importance caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp., is considered the world’s most widespread zoonotic disease. Rats serve as asymptomatic carriers of pathogenic Leptospira and are critical for disease spread. In such reservoir hosts, leptospires colonize ...

Are conflict-causing tigers different? Another perspective for understanding human-tiger conflict in Chitwan National Park, Nepal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lamichhane, B.R.; Persoon, G.A.; Leirs, H.; Musters, C.J.M.; Subedi, N.; Gairhe, K.P.; Pokheral, C.P.; Poudel, S.; Mishra, R.; Dhakal, M.; Smith, J.L.D.; Iongh, H.H.

2017-01-01

We analyzed characteristics of the problem-causing tigers in Chitwan National Park (Nepal) to determine if specific groups or individuals in the source population have higher probability to get involved in conflicts with humans. From 2007 to 2016 we identified a total of 22 such tigers including

Astrocyte uncoupling as a cause of human temporal lobe epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bedner, Peter; Dupper, Alexander; Hüttmann, Kerstin; Müller, Julia; Herde, Michel K; Dublin, Pavel; Deshpande, Tushar; Schramm, Johannes; Häussler, Ute; Haas, Carola A; Henneberger, Christian; Theis, Martin; Steinhäuser, Christian

2015-05-01

Glial cells are now recognized as active communication partners in the central nervous system, and this new perspective has rekindled the question of their role in pathology. In the present study we analysed functional properties of astrocytes in hippocampal specimens from patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy without (n = 44) and with sclerosis (n = 75) combining patch clamp recording, K(+) concentration analysis, electroencephalography/video-monitoring, and fate mapping analysis. We found that the hippocampus of patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with sclerosis is completely devoid of bona fide astrocytes and gap junction coupling, whereas coupled astrocytes were abundantly present in non-sclerotic specimens. To decide whether these glial changes represent cause or effect of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with sclerosis, we developed a mouse model that reproduced key features of human mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with sclerosis. In this model, uncoupling impaired K(+) buffering and temporally preceded apoptotic neuronal death and the generation of spontaneous seizures. Uncoupling was induced through intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide, prevented in Toll-like receptor4 knockout mice and reproduced in situ through acute cytokine or lipopolysaccharide incubation. Fate mapping confirmed that in the course of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with sclerosis, astrocytes acquire an atypical functional phenotype and lose coupling. These data suggest that astrocyte dysfunction might be a prime cause of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with sclerosis and identify novel targets for anti-epileptogenic therapeutic intervention. © The Author (2015). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Human papillomavirus in cervical cancer and oropharyngeal cancer: One cause, two diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Berman, Tara A; Schiller, John T

2017-06-15

Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes greater than 5% of cancers worldwide, including all cervical cancers and an alarmingly increasing proportion of oropharyngeal cancers (OPCs). Despite markedly reduced cervical cancer incidence in industrialized nations with organized screening programs, cervical cancer remains the second most common cause of death from cancer in women worldwide, as developing countries lack resources for universal, high-quality screening. In the United States, HPV-related OPC is only 1 of 5 cancers with a rising incidence since 1975 and now has taken over the cervix as the most common site of HPV-related cancer. Similar trends follow throughout North America and Europe. The need for early detection and prevention is paramount. Despite the common etiologic role of HPV in the development of cervical cancer and HPV-associated OPC, great disparity exists between incidence, screening modalities (or lack thereof), treatment, and prevention in these 2 very distinct cohorts. These differences in cervical cancer and HPV-associated OPC and their impact are discussed here. Cancer 2017;123:2219-2229. © 2017 American Cancer Society. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Human parechovirus as a minor cause of acute otitis media in children.

Science.gov (United States)

Sillanpää, Saara; Oikarinen, Sami; Sipilä, Markku; Seppälä, Elina; Nurminen, Noora; Rautiainen, Markus; Laranne, Jussi; Hyöty, Heikki

2015-01-01

Human parechoviruses (HPeVs) cause mild upper respiratory infections, gastrointestinal symptoms, central nervous system infections and some studies have linked them with acute otitis media (AOM). The aim of the present study was to study further the role of HPeV infections in AOM by detecting these viruses directly from middle ear fluid (MEF), respiratory and stool samples collected from children during AOM episodes. A total of 91 MEF samples, 98 nasal swab (NS) samples and 92 stool samples were collected during 100 AOM episodes in a total of 87 children aged between five to 42 months. All specimens were analyzed by real time RT-PCR for the presence of HPeV RNA. HPeV infection was diagnosed in 12 (14%) patients. HPeV RNA was detected in altogether 13 samples, including four MEF samples, three NS samples and six stool samples. One patient was positive in both stool and MEF samples. The results suggest that HPeV may play a role in some AOM cases, but it is not a major cause of AOM in children. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The analysis of human error as causes in the maintenance of machines: a case study in mining companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kovacevic, Srdja

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the two-step method used to analyse the factors and aspects influencing human error during the maintenance of mining machines. The first step is the cause-effect analysis, supported by brainstorming, where five factors and 21 aspects are identified. During the second step, the group fuzzy analytic hierarchy process is used to rank the identified factors and aspects. A case study is done on mining companies in Serbia. The key aspects are ranked according to an analysis that included experts who assess risks in mining companies (a maintenance engineer, a technologist, an ergonomist, a psychologist, and an organisational scientist. Failure to follow technical maintenance instructions, poor organisation of the training process, inadequate diagnostic equipment, and a lack of understanding of the work process are identified as the most important causes of human error.

Transcriptional Response of Leptospira interrogans to Different Iron Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Leptospirosis is a globally important zoonotic disease. Humans can become infected via exposure to infected animals or contaminated water or soil. Iron is an essential element for many cellular processes and its sequestration in the host environment constitutes an immune defence mechanism. Pathoge...

Epidemiology of Leptospira Transmitted by Rodents in Southeast Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Mielcarek, Mathilde; Tatard, Caroline; Chaval, Yannick; Suputtamongkol, Yupin; Buchy, Philippe; Jittapalapong, Sathaporn; Herbreteau, Vincent; Morand, Serge

2014-01-01

Background Leptospirosis is the most common bacterial zoonoses and has been identified as an important emerging global public health problem in Southeast Asia. Rodents are important reservoirs for human leptospirosis, but epidemiological data is lacking. Methodology/Principal Findings We sampled rodents living in different habitats from seven localities distributed across Southeast Asia (Thailand, Lao PDR and Cambodia), between 2009 to 2010. Human isolates were also obtained from localities close to where rodents were sampled. The prevalence of Leptospira infection was assessed by real-time PCR using DNA extracted from rodent kidneys, targeting the lipL32 gene. Sequencing rrs and secY genes, and Multi Locus Variable-number Tandem Repeat (VNTR) analyses were performed on DNA extracted from rat kidneys for Leptospira isolates molecular typing. Four species were detected in rodents, L. borgpetersenii (56% of positive samples), L. interrogans (36%), L. kirschneri (3%) and L. weilli (2%), which were identical to human isolates. Mean prevalence in rodents was approximately 7%, and largely varied across localities and habitats, but not between rodent species. The two most abundant Leptospira species displayed different habitat requirements: L. interrogans was linked to humid habitats (rice fields and forests) while L. borgpetersenii was abundant in both humid and dry habitats (non-floodable lands). Conclusion/Significance L. interrogans and L. borgpetersenii species are widely distributed amongst rodent populations, and strain typing confirmed rodents as reservoirs for human leptospirosis. Differences in habitat requirements for L. interrogans and L. borgpetersenii supported differential transmission modes. In Southeast Asia, human infection risk is not only restricted to activities taking place in wetlands and rice fields as is commonly accepted, but should also include tasks such as forestry work, as well as the hunting and preparation of rodents for consumption, which

Systematic analysis and prevention of human originated common cause failures in relation to maintenance activities at Finnish nuclear power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laakso, K. [VTT Industrial Systems, Espoo (Finland)

2006-12-15

The focus in human reliability analysis of nuclear power plants has traditionally been on human performance in disturbance conditions. On the other hand, human maintenance failures and design deficiencies, remained latent in the system, have an impact on the severity of a disturbance, e.g. by disabling safety-related equipment on demand. Especially common cause failures (CCFs) of safety related systems can affect the core damage risk to a significant extent. The topic has been addressed in Finnish studies, where experiences of latent human errors have been searched and analysed systematically from the maintenance history stored in the the power plant information systems of the Loviisa and Olkiluoto NPPs. Both the single and multiple errors (CCFs) were classified in detail and documented as error and event reports. The human CCFs involved human, organisational and technical factors. The review of the analysed single and multiple errors showed that instrumentation and control and electrical equipment are more prone to human error caused failure events than the other maintenance objects. The review of the analysed experience showed that most errors stem from the refuelling and maintenance outage periods. More than half of the multiple errors from the outages remained latent to the power operating periods. The review of the analysed multiple errors showed that difficulties with small plant modifications and planning of maintenance and operability were significant sources of common cause failures. The most dependent human errors originating from small modifications could be reduced by a more tailored planning and coverage of their start-up testing programs. Improvements could also be achieved by identifying better in work planning from the operating experiences those complex or intrusive repair and preventive maintenance work tasks and actions which are prone to errors. Such uncertain cases in important equipment require a more tailored work planning of the installation

Systematic analysis and prevention of human originated common cause failures in relation to maintenance activities at Finnish nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laakso, K.

2006-12-01

The focus in human reliability analysis of nuclear power plants has traditionally been on human performance in disturbance conditions. On the other hand, human maintenance failures and design deficiencies, remained latent in the system, have an impact on the severity of a disturbance, e.g. by disabling safety-related equipment on demand. Especially common cause failures (CCFs) of safety related systems can affect the core damage risk to a significant extent. The topic has been addressed in Finnish studies, where experiences of latent human errors have been searched and analysed systematically from the maintenance history stored in the the power plant information systems of the Loviisa and Olkiluoto NPPs. Both the single and multiple errors (CCFs) were classified in detail and documented as error and event reports. The human CCFs involved human, organisational and technical factors. The review of the analysed single and multiple errors showed that instrumentation and control and electrical equipment are more prone to human error caused failure events than the other maintenance objects. The review of the analysed experience showed that most errors stem from the refuelling and maintenance outage periods. More than half of the multiple errors from the outages remained latent to the power operating periods. The review of the analysed multiple errors showed that difficulties with small plant modifications and planning of maintenance and operability were significant sources of common cause failures. The most dependent human errors originating from small modifications could be reduced by a more tailored planning and coverage of their start-up testing programs. Improvements could also be achieved by identifying better in work planning from the operating experiences those complex or intrusive repair and preventive maintenance work tasks and actions which are prone to errors. Such uncertain cases in important equipment require a more tailored work planning of the installation

Human pathogen shown to cause disease in the threatened eklhorn coral Acropora palmata.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kathryn Patterson Sutherland

Full Text Available Coral reefs are in severe decline. Infections by the human pathogen Serratia marcescens have contributed to precipitous losses in the common Caribbean elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata, culminating in its listing under the United States Endangered Species Act. During a 2003 outbreak of this coral disease, called acroporid serratiosis (APS, a unique strain of the pathogen, Serratia marcescens strain PDR60, was identified from diseased A. palmata, human wastewater, the non-host coral Siderastrea siderea and the corallivorous snail Coralliophila abbreviata. In order to examine humans as a source and other marine invertebrates as vectors and/or reservoirs of the APS pathogen, challenge experiments were conducted with A. palmata maintained in closed aquaria to determine infectivity of strain PDR60 from reef and wastewater sources. Strain PDR60 from wastewater and diseased A. palmata caused disease signs in elkhorn coral in as little as four and five days, respectively, demonstrating that wastewater is a definitive source of APS and identifying human strain PDR60 as a coral pathogen through fulfillment of Koch's postulates. A. palmata inoculated with strain PDR60 from C. abbreviata showed limited virulence, with one of three inoculated fragments developing APS signs within 13 days. Strain PDR60 from non-host coral S. siderea showed a delayed pathogenic effect, with disease signs developing within an average of 20 days. These results suggest that C. abbreviata and non-host corals may function as reservoirs or vectors of the APS pathogen. Our results provide the first example of a marine "reverse zoonosis" involving the transmission of a human pathogen (S. marcescens to a marine invertebrate (A. palmata. These findings underscore the interaction between public health practices and environmental health indices such as coral reef survival.

Human pathogen shown to cause disease in the threatened eklhorn coral Acropora palmata.

Science.gov (United States)

Sutherland, Kathryn Patterson; Shaban, Sameera; Joyner, Jessica L; Porter, James W; Lipp, Erin K

2011-01-01

Coral reefs are in severe decline. Infections by the human pathogen Serratia marcescens have contributed to precipitous losses in the common Caribbean elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata, culminating in its listing under the United States Endangered Species Act. During a 2003 outbreak of this coral disease, called acroporid serratiosis (APS), a unique strain of the pathogen, Serratia marcescens strain PDR60, was identified from diseased A. palmata, human wastewater, the non-host coral Siderastrea siderea and the corallivorous snail Coralliophila abbreviata. In order to examine humans as a source and other marine invertebrates as vectors and/or reservoirs of the APS pathogen, challenge experiments were conducted with A. palmata maintained in closed aquaria to determine infectivity of strain PDR60 from reef and wastewater sources. Strain PDR60 from wastewater and diseased A. palmata caused disease signs in elkhorn coral in as little as four and five days, respectively, demonstrating that wastewater is a definitive source of APS and identifying human strain PDR60 as a coral pathogen through fulfillment of Koch's postulates. A. palmata inoculated with strain PDR60 from C. abbreviata showed limited virulence, with one of three inoculated fragments developing APS signs within 13 days. Strain PDR60 from non-host coral S. siderea showed a delayed pathogenic effect, with disease signs developing within an average of 20 days. These results suggest that C. abbreviata and non-host corals may function as reservoirs or vectors of the APS pathogen. Our results provide the first example of a marine "reverse zoonosis" involving the transmission of a human pathogen (S. marcescens) to a marine invertebrate (A. palmata). These findings underscore the interaction between public health practices and environmental health indices such as coral reef survival.

Household transmission of leptospira infection in urban slum communities.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elves A P Maciel

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Leptospirosis, a spirochaetal zoonotic disease, is the cause of epidemics associated with high mortality in urban slum communities. Infection with pathogenic Leptospira occurs during environmental exposures and is traditionally associated with occupational risk activities. However, slum inhabitants reside in close proximity to environmental sources of contamination, suggesting that transmission during urban epidemics occurs in the household environment.A survey was performed to determine whether Leptospira infection clustered within households located in slum communities in the city of Salvador, Brazil. Hospital-based surveillance identified 89 confirmed cases of leptospirosis during an outbreak. Serum samples were obtained from members of 22 households with index cases of leptospirosis and 52 control households located in the same slum communities. The presence of anti-Leptospira agglutinating antibodies was used as a marker for previous infection. In households with index cases, 22 (30% of 74 members had anti-Leptospira antibodies, whereas 16 (8% of 195 members from control households had anti-Leptospira antibodies. Highest titres were directed against L. interrogans serovars of the Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup in 95% and 100% of the subjects with agglutinating antibodies from case and control households, respectively. Residence in a household with an index case of leptospirosis was associated with increased risk (OR 5.29, 95% CI 2.13-13.12 of having had a Leptospira infection. Increased infection risk was found for all age groups who resided in a household with an index case, including children <15 years of age (P = 0.008.This study identified significant household clustering of Leptospira infection in slum communities where recurrent epidemics of leptospirosis occur. The findings support the hypothesis that the household environment is an important transmission determinant in the urban slum setting. Prevention therefore needs to target

Proteflazid® and local immunity in diseases caused by human papillomavirus, herpesvirus and mixed urogenital infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaminsky, Vjacheslav; Chernyshov, Viktor; Grynevych, Oleksandr; Benyuk, Vasil; Kornatskaya, Alla; Shalko, Miroslava; Usevich, Igor; Revenko, Oleg; Shepetko, Maxim; Solomakha, Ludmila

2017-03-21

Reporting of clinical trials results for Proteflazid® in the drug formulation suppositories and vaginal swabs soaked in the solution of the drug to the local immunity of the female reproductive tract. The aim of study was to examine the state of local immunity in the reproductive tract of women with sexually transmitted diseases caused by human papillomavirus, herpes viruses (Type 1, 2) and mixed infection (herpes viruses + chlamydia). The trials involved 216 women with viral sexually transmitted diseases: Cervical Dysplasia associated with papillomavirus infection (HPV) (Group 1); Herpes genitalis type 1 (HSV- 1) and type 2 (HSV-1) (Group 2); mixed infection - HSV-1, HSV-2 and chlamydia (Group 3). Treatment results have confirmed that Proteflazid® contributes to sustainable performance improvement of basic factors of local immunity - sIgA, lysozyme and complement component C3 in the cervical mucus for all three groups of women. Proteflazid® enhances level of local immunity markers (sIgA, lysozyme, C3 complement component) and improves their ratios. Also it intensifies anticontagious activity of mucosal protection and female reproductive system as whole, during treatment diseases caused by human papillomavirus, herpesvirus and mixed urogenital infections (herpesvirus and chlamydia).

Human ocular onchocerciasis caused by Onchocerca lupi (Spirurida, Onchocercidae) in Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Mowlavi, G; Farzbod, F; Kheirkhah, A; Mobedi, I; Bowman, D D; Naddaf, S R

2014-06-01

Cases of canine onchocerciasis caused by Onchocerca lupi are increasingly reported from Europe and the western United States of America. The zoonotic role of this parasite had already been suspected in Europe as the clinical signs and histopathology seen in two ocular cases from Albania and the Crimean region were very similar to those of canine ocular onchocerciasis. In the most recent reports of human onchocerciasis, O. lupi has been morphologically and molecularly identified as the causative agent of ocular infestation in two patients from Turkey, and one patient from Tunisia. Here, we report an additional case of nodular lesions involving two, and possibly more, immature worms in a patient from Iran. The parasite was found to belong to the genus Onchocerca based on morphological features and the species was confirmed as O. lupi from a partial sequence analysis of 12S ribosomal DNA.

Human death caused by a giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Haddad, Vidal; Reckziegel, Guilherme C; Neto, Domingos G; Pimentel, Fábio L

2014-12-01

The fatal outcome of a defensive attack by a giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) is reported. The attack occurred while the victim was hunting, and his dogs cornered the adult anteater, which assumed an erect, threatening position. The hunter did not fire his rifle because of concern about accidentally shooting his dogs. He approached the animal armed with a knife, but was grabbed by its forelimbs. When his sons freed him, he had puncture wounds and severe bleeding in the left inguinal region; he died at the scene. Necroscopic examination showed femoral artery lesions and a large hematoma in the left thigh, with death caused by hypovolemic shock. A similar case is cited, and recommendations are made that boundaries between wildlife and humans be respected, especially when they coinhabit a given area. Copyright © 2014 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conservation threats due to human-caused increases in fire frequency in Mediterranean-climate ecosystems.

Science.gov (United States)

Syphard, Alexandra D; Radeloff, Volker C; Hawbaker, Todd J; Stewart, Susan I

2009-06-01

Periodic wildfire is an important natural process in Mediterranean-climate ecosystems, but increasing fire recurrence threatens the fragile ecology of these regions. Because most fires are human-caused, we investigated how human population patterns affect fire frequency. Prior research in California suggests the relationship between population density and fire frequency is not linear. There are few human ignitions in areas with low population density, so fire frequency is low. As population density increases, human ignitions and fire frequency also increase, but beyond a density threshold, the relationship becomes negative as fuels become sparser and fire suppression resources are concentrated. We tested whether this hypothesis also applies to the other Mediterranean-climate ecosystems of the world. We used global satellite databases of population, fire activity, and land cover to evaluate the spatial relationship between humans and fire in the world's five Mediterranean-climate ecosystems. Both the mean and median population densities were consistently and substantially higher in areas with than without fire, but fire again peaked at intermediate population densities, which suggests that the spatial relationship is complex and nonlinear. Some land-cover types burned more frequently than expected, but no systematic differences were observed across the five regions. The consistent association between higher population densities and fire suggests that regardless of differences between land-cover types, natural fire regimes, or overall population, the presence of people in Mediterranean-climate regions strongly affects the frequency of fires; thus, population growth in areas now sparsely settled presents a conservation concern. Considering the sensitivity of plant species to repeated burning and the global conservation significance of Mediterranean-climate ecosystems, conservation planning needs to consider the human influence on fire frequency. Fine-scale spatial

Human Linguatulosis Caused by Linguatula serrata in the City of Kerman, South-eastern Iran- Case Report.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rostam Yazdani

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Human linguatulosis poses an important medical and veterinary concern in endemic countries. Animals, as reservoir host, play a major role in transmission of infestation and epidemiology of the disease. This study reports a case of human linguatulosis caused by Linguatula serrata in the city of Kerman, South-eastern Iran. A woman suffering from upper respiratory symptoms is presented. The patient consumed raw liver of sheep who was admitted to the Afzalipour University Hospital in Kerman for the symptoms of upper respiratory tract. In microscopic examination of the nasopharyngeal discharge, L. serrata was detected. This report has future medical implication in precise diagnosis of L. serrata in patients with complaints of nasopharyngeal symptoms.

Development of a new cause classification method considering plant ageing and human errors for adverse events which occurred in nuclear power plants and some results of its application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyazaki, Takamasa

2007-01-01

The adverse events which occurred in nuclear power plants are analyzed to prevent similar events, and in the analysis of each event, the cause of the event is classified by a cause classification method. This paper shows a new cause classification method which is improved in several points as follows: (1) the whole causes are systematically classified into three major categories such as machine system, operation system and plant outside causes, (2) the causes of the operation system are classified into several management errors normally performed in a nuclear power plant, (3) the content of ageing is defined in detail for their further analysis, (4) human errors are divided and defined by the error stage, (5) human errors can be related to background factors, and so on. This new method is applied to the adverse events which occurred in domestic and overseas nuclear power plants in 2005. From these results, it is clarified that operation system errors account for about 60% of the whole causes, of which approximately 60% are maintenance errors, about 40% are worker's human errors, and that the prevention of maintenance errors, especially worker's human errors is crucial. (author)

Human rotavirus genotypes causing acute watery diarrhea among ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Diarrhea is a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in the developing countries. Rotavirus is a major cause of acute watery diarrhea. Aim: This study aims at characterizing the prevalent rotavirus G-genotypes among under.five children presenting with acute watery diarrhea in Benin City, Nigeria.

The "multiple hormone deficiency" theory of aging: is human senescence caused mainly by multiple hormone deficiencies?