Warning out on leptospirosis

MANILA, Philippines - The Leptospirosis Task Force has warned against the expected rise in leptospirosis cases due to the massive flooding brought about by typhoons “Pedring” and “Quiel” in the past weeks.

In an advisory, Task Force member Dr. Roberto Tanchanco said that health professionals should “provide prophylaxis to those who are at risk of developing this potentially fatal disease.”

“If you have history of wading (in floodwaters) you should take prophylaxis, especially if you have wounds and the water is dirty,” said Tanchanco, who is also a member of the Philippine Society of Nephrology (PSN).

He added that prophylaxis, a preventive medicine, is best given one to three days after exposure to floodwater or before the signs and symptoms of leptospirosis start to manifest.

“Leptospirosis is a disease that can occur when a person with open wounds or even just superficial cuts in their skin is exposed to water that is contaminated with infected rats’ urine,” he said. 

“In severe cases, an infected person can develop liver and kidney failure, at times requiring dialysis, and in some cases leading to death,” he added.

But Tanchanco also warned against self-medicating. He said for “post-exposure” medication, the doses of prophylaxis given will vary, depending on the frequency of flood exposure and if they have open wounds where the Leptospira bacteria can enter.

The task force was created in response to the soaring number of leptospirosis cases due to the flooding brought about by typhoon “Ondoy” in 2009. Some 2,292 suspected cases and 178 deaths were reported then.

It is composed of the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, the PSN, the Philippine College of Chest Physicians, and the Council on Critical Care and Pulmonary Vascular Diseases which issued a “collaborative statement to guide physicians on how to diagnose, treat and prevent leptospirosis.”

“This guideline advises people who are residing in a flooded area, or have waded in floodwaters, to consult a physician, especially if they have wounds or cuts in their skin, to check if they need prophylactic medication to prevent leptospirosis,” Tanchanco said.

He added that those “who already have fever of at least two days and also have headache, abdominal pain, muscle pain, red eyes, jaundice, or decreasing urine output, may already require treatment for leptospirosis.”

Tanchanco underscored the need to dispose of garbage properly to minimize the spread of rats whose urine primarily carries the leptospirosis bacteria.