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Watch out for leptospirosis after heavy rains!
Press release
April 19, 2022
Since the beginning of the year, a sharp increase in the number of reports has been observed in Reunion with 99 cases of leptospirosis: 18 people were hospitalized in the intensive care unit and one person died of the disease. ARS La Réunion and Santé Publique France recommend that the population reinforce vigilance during this rainy period and protect themselves.
Leptospirosis is a serious illness: if not treated in time, it can lead to hospitalization or even death.
Recent episodes of heavy rains can favor the appearance of leptospirosis. This disease is contracted in fact in contact with a humid environment contaminated mainly by rat urine (mud, puddles, etc.). Cleaning activities in courtyards and gardens without sufficient protection (boots, gloves, etc.) or swimming in fresh water after heavy rains are therefore particularly at risk.
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Epidemiological situation as of April 15, 2022
Since the beginning of the year, 99 cases of leptospirosis have been declared, including 43 in March and 35 cases in April.
Among the 99 cases, 18 people were admitted to the intensive care unit and one person died of the disease.
In 2021, 74 cases of leptospirosis were declared during the same period, requiring hospitalization for the majority of them. In previous years, more than fifty cases were recorded each year.
The rainy season is the period most at risk because it presents favorable temperature and rainfall conditions for the survival in the environment of the bacteria responsible for this disease. Episodes of heavy rain promote soil leaching and environmental contamination and are therefore periods of particular risk.
What is leptospirosis and what are the symptoms?
Leptospirosis is a serious disease, caused by a bacterium often present in rats or other rodents. The disease is contracted during contact with a humid environment contaminated by the urine of these infected animals (mud, puddles, stagnant water at the edge of gullies).
The bacterium enters the body through the skin in the event of cuts or wounds (even small ones). After 4 to 14 days of incubation, leptospirosis manifests with the following symptoms (which can be easily confused with dengue or Covid-19 infection):
What are the risky activities?
The vast majority of cases identified on the island are related to the practice of activity:
How to avoid leptospirosis?
Simple measures make it possible to effectively limit the risks of contamination:
The monitoring of this disease is carried out by the ARS and Santé Publique France and allows, after receipt of a report, to identify the potential sources of exposure and the activities at risk of the sick people in order to be able to better inform on the measures. to implement.
Watch out for leptospirosis after heavy rains!
Press release
April 19, 2022
Since the beginning of the year, a sharp increase in the number of reports has been observed in Reunion with 99 cases of leptospirosis: 18 people were hospitalized in the intensive care unit and one person died of the disease. ARS La Réunion and Santé Publique France recommend that the population reinforce vigilance during this rainy period and protect themselves.
Leptospirosis is a serious illness: if not treated in time, it can lead to hospitalization or even death.
Recent episodes of heavy rains can favor the appearance of leptospirosis. This disease is contracted in fact in contact with a humid environment contaminated mainly by rat urine (mud, puddles, etc.). Cleaning activities in courtyards and gardens without sufficient protection (boots, gloves, etc.) or swimming in fresh water after heavy rains are therefore particularly at risk.
'
Epidemiological situation as of April 15, 2022
Since the beginning of the year, 99 cases of leptospirosis have been declared, including 43 in March and 35 cases in April.
Among the 99 cases, 18 people were admitted to the intensive care unit and one person died of the disease.
In 2021, 74 cases of leptospirosis were declared during the same period, requiring hospitalization for the majority of them. In previous years, more than fifty cases were recorded each year.
The rainy season is the period most at risk because it presents favorable temperature and rainfall conditions for the survival in the environment of the bacteria responsible for this disease. Episodes of heavy rain promote soil leaching and environmental contamination and are therefore periods of particular risk.
What is leptospirosis and what are the symptoms?
Leptospirosis is a serious disease, caused by a bacterium often present in rats or other rodents. The disease is contracted during contact with a humid environment contaminated by the urine of these infected animals (mud, puddles, stagnant water at the edge of gullies).
The bacterium enters the body through the skin in the event of cuts or wounds (even small ones). After 4 to 14 days of incubation, leptospirosis manifests with the following symptoms (which can be easily confused with dengue or Covid-19 infection):
- sudden high fever (often > 38.5°C),
- muscle and joint pain,
- abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting,
- headache.
What are the risky activities?
The vast majority of cases identified on the island are related to the practice of activity:
- gardening and breeding “la kour”,
- leisure activities in fresh water (fishing, swimming in the river or pool, white water sports)
How to avoid leptospirosis?
Simple measures make it possible to effectively limit the risks of contamination:
- Apply individual protection measures:
- use appropriate equipment (gloves, boots, coveralls, etc.)
- protect and disinfect wounds
- postpone freshwater recreational activities in case of cloudy water
- do not walk barefoot or in slippers in stagnant or muddy water
- Fight against rats:
- regularly maintain your yard (no bulky items or waste conducive to the proliferation of rats, etc.)
- eliminate all food sources (including animal food scraps)
- Respect the bathing bans in places marked at risk.
The monitoring of this disease is carried out by the ARS and Santé Publique France and allows, after receipt of a report, to identify the potential sources of exposure and the activities at risk of the sick people in order to be able to better inform on the measures. to implement.
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