What is leptospirosis? All about deadly animal-borne infection Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann is suffering from

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has been diagnosed with leptospirosis, a bacterial infection. He grow to be admitted to the Fortis Sanatorium Mohali on Wednesday for a routine check-up. “At present, all vitals of the Chief Minister are completely stable. As suspected on the time of admission for tropical fever, his blood tests for leptospirosis came back positive,” consistent with a health bulletin issued by the medical institution. Which is miles said that the 50-year-old AAP leader has been given appropriate antibiotics. “All clinical features and pathological tests have shown satisfactory improvement.”

What's leptospirosis?

Leptospirosis is a disease resulting from leptospira bacteria, which affects both humans and animals. Which is miles in most cases transmitted through direct contact with the urine of infected animals or exposure to urine-contaminated environments like water or soil. The bacteria can enter the humans through cuts or abrasions on the skin, or by means of mucous membranes within the eyes, nose and mouth.

What are the symptoms?

The disease causes, very hot temperature, headache, muscular pains, muscular pains, vomiting, diarrhoea. It also has eye involvement, every every now and then with yellow patches or brown patches, depending upon the complexion, and pain within the abdomen.

How serious is the disease?

Talking to IANS, Dr M Wali, Senior Consultant, Department of Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Sanatorium, said, “leptospirosis is in most cases self-limiting, and can unravel within two weeks with antibiotics. “But when the infection is severe, then it truly is in a position to spread to the kidney, can go to the brain, spinal cord, liver. While the liver is principally involved, in rare cases it truly is in a position to spread to the lungs.”

Importantly, the expert noted that the disease is difficult to diagnose and can thus remain within the body for some months. He similarly added, “Patients can go from one doctor to yet another doctor, because the fever is likely now not treated because it truly is now not diagnosed.”.

The doctor may suspect and conduct an easy PCR test to diagnose the disease. Which is miles in a position to be well contained by antibiotic doxycycline. The disease can turn fatal if it enters the brain. The expert said “it may possibly well now not spread from human to human, simplest by contamination. People now not consume loosely reachable food items from Kirana stores, simplest packaged and properly sealed food. Rat-infested loosely reachable groceries be refrained from.”

Leptospirosis is endemic to India resulting from a tropical climate that enhances the transmission of infection. Scientists believe that the first disease outbreak within the 1920s came from the Andaman Islands. Which is miles probably some of essentially the most widespread yet disregarded zoonoses, with most reports from South The United States, the Caribbean, and South Asia. In India, it truly is endemic to coastal states like Gujarat, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Despite causing significant mortality in India, the disease remained highly lower than-reported, majorly resulting from its endemic nature, lack of diagnostic modules, and absence of knowledge one of many many treating clinicians.