Leptospirosis claims more lives in Kerala

Trevillu

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Follow us:WhatsappFacebookTwitterTelegram.cls-1{fill:#4d4d4d;}.cls-2{fill:#fff;}Google NewsGet infected with leptospirosis and the chances of death are many times more than other communicable diseases, say data from Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP). Fatality due to leptospirosis, popularly called ‘rat fever,’ has been found to be much higher than malaria, dengue and H1N1.IDSP data on Communicable Diseases in Kerala 2011 shows the case fatality rate (CFR) - the percentage of death among the afflicted - was the highest for leptospirosis, at 7.4 percent. Though malaria, dengue, hepatitis A and typhoid all recorded a higher number of cases, the CFR was just 0.1, 0.76, 0.21 and 0.08 percent respectively. The only other disease that showed a slightly higher fatality rate was Japanese Encephalitis with 7.8 percent.“The main reason for the high mortality is due to organ involvement,” said Dr Anish T S, Assistant Professor of Community Medicine at the Medical College here. “Even if the bacteria is completely destroyed, if organs such as kidney and liver are affected, it could become very difficult to treat.” Epidemiological data from the Directorate of Health Services over the past five years (2006 - 2011) also suggest that in any given year, the most number of deaths has been caused by leptospirosis. The only major exception was in 2010 when five districts recorded a higher number of H1N1 deaths. But in four of these districts, the maximum number of deaths between 2006 and 2010 was due to leptospirosis. The exception was Thiruvananthapuram where leptospirosis came second only to H1N1 deaths.“Over the past few years, the high mortality has been more due to respiratory complications than anything else,” said Dr R Sajithkumar, Associate Professor at the Department of Medicine in Kottayam Medical College. “In most of the recent cases, the patient suffers acute respiratory distress owing to blood entering the lungs. Here, death happens very fast and nothing can save him.”Dr Sairu Philip, Additional Professor of Community Medicine at Alapuzzha Medical College feels that it is ironic that leptospirosis, which has a specific treatment, causes more deaths. (As per the IDSP data, in 2011, more people died of leptospirosis than other 13 diseases under surveillance combined.)“The main cause is delayed treatment,” she said. “One factor for this is the tendency of self-medication among people. Also, people at high risk such as MGNREGA workers, who are given prophylactic treatment, often do not take the preventive medicine citing some excuse.”first published:January 01, 1970, 05:30 ISTlast updated:January 01, 1970, 05:30 IST
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Get infected with leptospirosis and the chances of death are many times more than other communicable diseases, say data from Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP). Fatality due to leptospirosis, popularly called ‘rat fever,’ has been found to be much higher than malaria, dengue and H1N1.

IDSP data on Communicable Diseases in Kerala 2011 shows the case fatality rate (CFR) - the percentage of death among the afflicted - was the highest for leptospirosis, at 7.4 percent. Though malaria, dengue, hepatitis A and typhoid all recorded a higher number of cases, the CFR was just 0.1, 0.76, 0.21 and 0.08 percent respectively. The only other disease that showed a slightly higher fatality rate was Japanese Encephalitis with 7.8 percent.

“The main reason for the high mortality is due to organ involvement,” said Dr Anish T S, Assistant Professor of Community Medicine at the Medical College here. “Even if the bacteria is completely destroyed, if organs such as kidney and liver are affected, it could become very difficult to treat.”

Epidemiological data from the Directorate of Health Services over the past five years (2006 - 2011) also suggest that in any given year, the most number of deaths has been caused by leptospirosis. The only major exception was in 2010 when five districts recorded a higher number of H1N1 deaths. But in four of these districts, the maximum number of deaths between 2006 and 2010 was due to leptospirosis. The exception was Thiruvananthapuram where leptospirosis came second only to H1N1 deaths.

“Over the past few years, the high mortality has been more due to respiratory complications than anything else,” said Dr R Sajithkumar, Associate Professor at the Department of Medicine in Kottayam Medical College. “In most of the recent cases, the patient suffers acute respiratory distress owing to blood entering the lungs. Here, death happens very fast and nothing can save him.”

Dr Sairu Philip, Additional Professor of Community Medicine at Alapuzzha Medical College feels that it is ironic that leptospirosis, which has a specific treatment, causes more deaths. (As per the IDSP data, in 2011, more people died of leptospirosis than other 13 diseases under surveillance combined.)

“The main cause is delayed treatment,” she said. “One factor for this is the tendency of self-medication among people. Also, people at high risk such as MGNREGA workers, who are given prophylactic treatment, often do not take the preventive medicine citing some excuse.”