As monsoons have hit the city, more and more cases of leptospiros are being reported to the doctors. As most of the areas are flooded so, there is a risk of catching up this infectious disease.
Leptospiros is a bacterial infection. It gets spread from water contaminated with rat urine. Three lives in Mumbai metropolitan region have been claimed so far this monsoon, as per the state government’s health department records.
“Yesterday itself we admitted a 58-year-old man from Chembur. He tested positive for leptospirosis”, says Dr. Ashish Tiwari, CEO of Zynova Heartcare Pvt Ltd. Doctors constantly warn of this infection as people are prone to getting infected with leptospirosis, as there is a high possibility of the monsoon waters to be contaminated with rat urine. Leptospirosis has not yet been counted among the fatal infections so far this year, but a delay in detection of the disease can raise complications. This is so because this disease might be accompanied by Malaria and Hepatitis at a later stage.
Dr Anil Ballani, consultant physician at Lilavati hospital comments over the issue, “ Leptospirosis has symptoms like fever with chills, headache, vomiting, pain behind the eyes, muscle and abdominal pains, skin rashes. The symptoms are very confusing and mimic those seen in other diseases”.
Leptospirosis if not treated at the right stage can lead to meningitis, renal failure and other harmful diseases. It is not necessary that only an injury in the feet will lead to this infection, the bacteria can enter through the microscopic pores in the skin and start showing its harmful effects.
“We are going to see more leptospirosis cases as the flooding has just begun. People who have waded through flooded areas should keep in mind that if they get fever with chills, vomiting and high WBC counts, they should tell their doctors about it. This will help in the right diagnosis of the disease” said Dr Hemant Thacker, consultant physician at Breach Candy hospital.
