Absence of epidemicity of severe leptospirosis in Barbados.
The possibility of micro-epidemics of severe leptospirosis occurring on the island of Barbados was investigated by examining the space-time clustering of the disease in 212 laboratory-confirmed cases admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Bridgetown, over a 7-year period. A series of 109 patients with symptoms compatible with leptospirosis but shown to be otherwise by laboratory examination were also examined for comparison. No significant space-time clustering was found among the leptospirosis cases, indicating no evidence for micro-epidemics. By comparison, statistically significant clustering was apparent among the smaller non-leptospirosis series. Possible explanations for the absence of observed micro-epidemics of leptospirosis are discussed.
Bennett
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Tropical Health Epidemiology Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK.
Everard
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CO
D001460:Barbados / Q000453:epidemiology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006801:Humans; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000453:epidemiology*