LEPTOSPIROSIS WEILS DISEASE

AND OTHER WATER BOURNE

 INFECTIONS

WATERBORNE INFECTIONS 

The water may carry serious diseases such as Weil’s disease, Hepatitis, gastro-enteritis, etc. To minimise your risk of contracting an illness: 

• Do not drink or swallow the water.
• Avoid deliberately splashing water on your face, or in your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Avoid swimming or wading in the water.
• Cover all cuts and grazes with waterproof dressings.
• Use footwear to avoid injuring your feet.
• Wash or shower as soon as possible after water sports, before eating or preparing food.
• If you fall ill after water sport, go to your doctor early, and tell him you are a water sports participant. If in doubt,
• Contact your doctor early.
• Immunise.

If your symptoms include a high temperature, an influenza-like illness, and joint and muscle pains (particularly un the calf muscles) also tell your doctor about the possibility of Weil’s Disease and give him a copy of the Weil’s Disease leaflet ask me, the BCU or the BDA if you do not have one). 

Leptospirosis is an animal infection. After recovery, the animal excretes the organisms in the urine. The bacteria survive for days or even weeks in moist conditions, but only for a few hours in salt water. The infection is caught by direct contact with the urine or polluted environment. Bacteria enter through skin abrasions or via eyes, nose or mouth. 

The Illness

The usual incubation is 2 to 12 days. Usually a ‘flu’ like illness occurs which resolves in 2-3 weeks. There may be fever, severe headache, pains in the back and calf and prostration. A few cases develop jaundice, when the condition is known as Weil’s disease. Although death may occur in about 15% of the jaundiced patients, death without jaundice is virtually unknown. Antibiotics during the first few days help in limiting infection. Many cases recover without specific treatment. 

What to do.

If you think you may have the infection, go to your doctor and tell him/her that there may be a risk of leptospirosis. The diagnosis is by clinical suspicion. Blood tests can rarely confirm the illness in time to affect treatment. They may subsequently confirm it. The microbiologist at the local hospital is the best source of advice. 

The level of risk

Each year, an average, 9 water sports people contract Leptospirosis, among which 3 on average, are canoeists.Leptospirosis is very rare, and its deterioration into Weils Disease even more rare. Weils Disease is-however a very serious illness, and must be swiftly diagnosed and treated: