Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis which is caused by spirochaetes of the genus Leptospira . Pathogenic leptospires live in the kidneys of a wide variety of free-living, domestic, and farm animals, notably rodents, insectivores and cattle. The disease is spread via urine from the host animal. Weil's disease is one of many manifestations of leptospirosis. Leptospirosis occurs worldwide and is a common mild to severe health problem for humans and animals, particularly in areas with a hot and humid climate. Because of its protean manifestations and the difficult diagnosis, leptospirosis is often confused with other diseases that are endemic and epidemic in the same climatologic and environmental conditions. Hence the disease is severely underestimated and presents one of the most neglected diseases worldwide. As a consequence of the occurrence of many leptospiral serovars and availability of many natural animal carrier hosts the control of the disease is complex.