The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Take care of your pets, ward off leptospirosis

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 12, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Take care of your pets, ward off leptospirosis

Ramya Kannan

If not inoculated, pets might transmit bacteria to humans

Do not walk barefoot in contaminated or stagnant water
Run a test for leptospirosis even for symptoms of flu or conjunctivitis

CHENNAI: This rainy season, as doctors dole out advice on the precautions to be taken to stay healthy, they also add: Take care of your pets!

If not appropriately inoculated, your pet might actually transmit bacteria to humans. So whatever precaution you take, remember to give the animals a shot protecting them against leptospirosis.

Public health experts warn that any flu-like symptoms during the rainy season must raise the suspicion of leptospirosis and diagnostic confirmatory tests should be performed immediately. Leptospirosis, which is a zoonotic disease transmitted by animals to humans, can be mistaken for many other diseases, including jaundice, flu, conjunctivitis and meningitis, thereby delaying diagnosis and treatment. There is a five per cent chance of death if leptospirosis remains untreated or is inappropriately treated and no human vaccine exists as of now, experts say.

S.Geethalakshmi, vice-principal of Madras Medical College and professor, Microbiology department, says, “It is easy to miss. But during the rains, if a person who has pets at home, develops flu, I’d say, first test for leptospirosis,” she adds. In order to push home the message, the Leptospirosis Laboratory of Madras Medical College held a Continuing Medical Education Programme for doctors and students last week.

“The bacteria is primarily transmitted during the rainy season through the urine of infected animals,” Dr.Geethalakshmi adds. It enters the body through abrasions in the foot and enters the blood stream, travelling to the kidney and liver. That is why it can produce jaundice-like symptoms. Liver and kidney failure are likely complications. The message is to avoid walking barefoot in stagnating rainwater, but as she explains, “the most important thing is to think of leptospirosis when you have a fever during the rains. Tell your doctor to run tests for it.”

“The biggest advantage with this disease is that treatment is simple – dosages of penicillin or docycyclin. Most people respond to this very well,” says S.Elango, Director of Public Health (DPH). “We need to create awareness among the public and professionals of the disease and early detection. General practitioners will have to suspect leptospirosis and order tests for the same instead of dismissing a case of flu as just that,” he says. The other key aspect is to strengthen diagnostic facilities and train doctors in case management.

The Leptospirosis lab at MMC receives over 100 samples a day during the monsoon season, G.Sumathi, director, Leptospirosis Institute, says. Last year, 30,000 samples were received and 17 per cent of them tested positive.

It was likely that many other unreported cases are within the community, she adds. Diagnostics labs are also available on the campus of the DPH in Teynampet and at Madhavaram in the city.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu