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| Wednesday, 15 October 2003 |
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by Irangika Range More than 1,500 Leptospirosis patients have been reported from Badulla, Monaragala, Hambantota and the Southern, Western and the North Western Provinces in 10 months (from January to October) this year, it was revealed at a health seminar on Wednesday. The seminar on leptospirosis organized by the Health Education Bureau and Epidemiology unit of the Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Welfare was held at the Auditorium of Health Education Bureau. The seminar was sponsored by the World Health Organization. Asst. Epidemiologist Dr. Ananda Amarasinghe told the gathering that Leptospirosis is one of the common epidemics in Sri Lanka, which was first diagnosed in the 19th century. Leptospirosis was known as mud fever, in 1886. The disease critically affected countries, mainly involved in agriculture and livestock industries. The first patient was diagnosed in 1953. According to the research made during the outbreak of leptospirosis by the Watupitiwela Base Hospital, it was revealed that the disease was transmitted by working with contaminated water while having open wounds, poor maintenance of paddy fields, the polluted atmosphere and delay in appropriate treatment, Dr. Amarasinghe said. He said that a man who is a circumstantial victim of an epidemic, is infected by animals. According to research, the common infective methods are urine from a carrier, moist soil, surface water which is an occupational hazard for paddy farmers, sugar cane plantations, sewer workers and others. Carriers survive in the host organism's kidney. Moist soil, water and vegetation are contaminated by carrier's urine and faeces, leptospirosis spreads. Carriers of the causative organism are rats and other rodents, cattle, pigs, goats, dogs, cats, foxes and deer. Some think leptospirosis could be transmitted only through rats, because we call it "Mee Una". Leptospirosis affects more people at working ages and more males than females. Cases fluctuate with seasons and tend to occur as individual or cluster of cases. Consultant Physician-National Hospital and president, Ceylon College of Physicians Dr.Sarath Gamini de Silva said leptospirosis is transmitted by a germ which is called "spirochaete". Leptospirosis basically affects the kidney and tissues around the brain. The symptoms are fever, severe calf pain, headaches, redness of eyes and dark colour urine. When these symptoms are observed seek treatment at the nearest Government Hospital. Delay in appropriate treatment may result in rapid aggravation of the disease, such as fainting, convulsion, low blood pressure and dialysis. Doctors conclude the conditions of disease according to the patient's immunity, then he prescribes the treatment to prevent the reactions. Acting Chief Epidemiologist Dr.Nihal Abeysinghe said Notified cases of leptospirosis have increased rapidly in urban areas after 1994. The reasons are the changing environment in urban areas, the filling of paddy-fields and lands unnecessarily, construction of residences and the increase in population. Different medium of susceptible and survival period of causative organism are sterile water = 4 weeks, uncontaminated river water = several weeks, sea water = 18-20 hours and sewage = 12-24 hours. Caustic soda, formalin and chlorine 1ppm could kill the germ in three hours. Leptospirosis can be controlled by following measures. 1) Health Education of vulnerable population.(you should not work/wade with contaminated water while having open wounds) 2) Early Treatment.(signs and symptoms similar to hepatitis, should be recognised at the beginning) 3) Environmental control - destroy rat holes, keep the paddy fields free of weeds and bushes and chlorinate contaminated water. 4) Prophylaxis - A person who is working in the causative environment can use prophylaxis under the doctors' guidance. |
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