Leptospirosis, an infectious disease spread by domestic animals and characterized by jaundice and fever, is suspected of making a return to Taiwan after 10 such cases were confirmed late last year with one recent fatality.
Leptospirosis, also called swamp fever, is an infectious disease of domestic animals, especially cattle, swine, dogs and rats, caused by spirochetes of the genus Leptospira.
The disease was declared extinct in Taiwan some 30 years ago, but several cases have been reported in the past three years, prompting the Center for Disease Control (CDC) under the Department of Health to announce it as a newly found infectious disease in Taiwan last March, said CDC Deputy Director Hsu Kuo-hsiung (許國雄).
Domestic animals are highly susceptible to swamp fever and in turn spread the disease to humans who come into contact with the animals' urine or feces. People who have cuts or wounds and spend time in dirty areas or areas close to water are at most risk of contracting the disease, according to Hsu.
Victims of the disease usually have symptoms including fever, headache, chills, myalgia, meningitis, inflammation of the mucous membranes and jaundice.
One of the 10 recently reported cases, a 41-year-old man died of the disease Jan. 5, not long after checking into Kuangtien General Hospital in Taichung County, central Taiwan.
Hospital sources said the man, a hepatitis patient, died of swamp fever because the hepatitis had robbed him of the power to resist the disease.
Commenting on this fatal case, Professor Pan Ming-cheng (潘銘正) from National Taiwan University's Institute of Veterinary Medicine said leptospirosis, even if confirmed as an outbreak, is not as lethal as the Hanta virus.
Swamp fever, which can be cured with antibiotics, can be easily prevented if people wash their hands often, avoid cuts and contact with unclean water, and refrain from drinking untreated water in the outdoors, he said.
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