title: [Leptospirosis and environment. Study of 2 major foci in New Caledonia].
abstract: A study of human and animal leptospirosis was carried out in new Caledonia's two most important focuses. This survey showed an annual incidence in the human population of 8.8 p. thousand in the Nera basin and 0.88 p. thousand in the Coulée basin. Male adults with agricultural and livestock occupations are the most exposed, especially from March to May, the end of the hot season. Frequent contacts with fresh water and animals, and the failure to use of gloves and boots, significantly increase the risk of contamination. Two factors of severity are important: serotype and age. Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae is responsible for serious and fatal clinical forms and patients over 50 years of age have a maximum vital risk. In order to reduce the incidence and the severity of this disease, it appears desirable to vaccinate the farmers and the cattle breeders against L. icterohaemorrhagiae and to institute mass media information campaigns to warn against the risks of contamination.
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur de Nouméa, Nouvelle-Calédonie.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brethes
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Puech
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fraisse
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dubois
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Domenech
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bourdin
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Moreau
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Capdevielle
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dessouter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lambert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D007921:Leptospira interrogans / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009510:New Caledonia; D014895:Weil Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D001428:Bacterial Vaccines
vernacular_title: Leptospiroses et environment. Etude des deux foyers majeurs de Nouvelle-Calédonie.