The possibility of micro-epidemics of severe leptospirosis occurring on the island of Barbados was investigated by examining the space-time clustering of the disease in 212 laboratory-confirmed cases admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Bridgetown, over a 7-year period. A series of 109 patients with symptoms compatible with leptospirosis but shown to be otherwise by laboratory examination were also examined for comparison. No significant space-time clustering was found among the leptospirosis cases, indicating no evidence for micro-epidemics. By comparison, statistically significant clustering was apparent among the smaller non-leptospirosis series. Possible explanations for the absence of observed micro-epidemics of leptospirosis are discussed.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s095026880005651x | DOI Listing |
Trop Biomed
December 2024
Resource Biotechnology Programme, Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Leptospirosis is a severe and potentially fatal re-emerging zoonotic and waterborne disease caused by pathogenic and intermediate species of Leptospira. Given the high global rates of morbidity and mortality associated with this disease, there is an urgent need to explore alternative therapeutic agents to enhance treatment options. This study investigates the anti-leptospiral efficacy of several common antibiotics-penicillin G, doxycycline, ampicillin, amoxicillin, cefotaxime, chloramphenicol, and erythromycin, as well as extracts from local herbs, Hydnophytum formicarum Jack and Boesenbergia stenophylla, against pathogenic and intermediate Leptospira strains.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Microbiol
January 2025
Department of Intensive Care Unit, The Peoples Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
Background: Leptospirosis is an acute zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic , primarily transmitted to humans through contact with water or soil contaminated by the bacteria. It is globally distributed, with heightened prevalence in tropical regions. While prior studies have examined the pathophysiology, epidemiology, and risk factors of leptospirosis, few have explored trends and emerging topics in the field.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLoS Negl Trop Dis
January 2025
Institute of Exact and Applied Sciences, University of New Caledonia, Nouméa, Province Sud, New Caledonia.
Background: Leptospirosis is a neglected zoonotic disease prevalent worldwide, particularly in tropical regions experiencing frequent rainfall and severe cyclones, which are further aggravated by climate change. This bacterial zoonosis, caused by the Leptospira genus, can be transmitted through contaminated water and soil. The Pacific islands bear a high burden of leptospirosis, making it crucial to identify key factors influencing its distribution.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Infect
January 2025
Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand; Excellence Center for Critical Care Nephrology, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand; Tropical Medicine Cluster, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand; Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand; Center for Critical Care Nephrology, The CRISMA Center, Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Academy of Science, Royal Society of Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand. Electronic address:
Background: Severe pulmonary hemorrhagic syndrome (SPHS) remains a fatal complication of leptospirosis with poorly understood mechanisms and an urgent need for effective biomarkers.
Methods: A nested case-control analysis was conducted using blood specimens from two previous Thai leptospirosis cohorts. Candidate microRNAs were initially discovered through a global profiling of 798 serum microRNAs in five SPHS and seven non-SPHS patients, and then validated using real-time polymerase chain reactions in 168 patients.
Appl Environ Microbiol
January 2025
Postgraduate Program in Animal Science in the Tropics - Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by bacteria, affecting humans and a broad range of wild and domestic animals in diverse epidemiological settings (rural, urban, and wild). The disease's pathogenesis and epidemiology are complex networks not fully elucidated. Epidemiology reflects the One Health integrated approach of environment-animal-human interaction, causing severe illness in humans and animals, with consequent public health burdens.
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