How to Say It: lep-to-spy-RO-sis
Leptospirosis is an infection caused by bacteria. It can be mild or severe. Severe cases can lead to organ damage and even death.
Certain bacteria cause the infection. It is spread from the urine of infected animals. The urine gets into water, soil, and plants. The bacteria gets into the body from direct contact. This means from:
Leptospirosis is found all over the world. It is most common in tropical places.
The risk is higher for those who have contact with:
Some people do not have symptoms. Those who do may have:
Rarely, it can lead to problems with the lungs and kidneys.
The doctor will ask about your symptoms, health, and travel history. A physical exam may be done. Blood and urine tests may be done to check for infection or other problems.
Other tests may be done to check for organ damage.
The infection is treated with antibiotics.
In rare but serious cases, treatment may be needed to support organ function.
The risk of infection can be lowered by:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
https://www.cdc.gov
World Health Organization
http://www.who.int
Alberta Health Services
https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/
Public Health Agency of Canada
https://www.canada.ca
Leptospirosis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/leptospirosis. Accessed January 29, 2021.
Leptospirosis. EBSCO DynaMed . Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/results?q=Leptospirosis&lang=en. Accessed January 29, 2021.
Leptospirosis (Weil's disease). New York State Department of Health website. Available at: https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/leptospirosis/fact_sheet.htm. Accessed January 29, 2021.
Mousavi S, Nasera M, et al. Current advances in urban leptospirosis diagnosis. Reviews in Medical Microbiology. 2017;28 (3):119-123.
Last reviewed September 2020 by David L. Horn, MD, FACP