Leptospirosis in man, Israel, 1970-1979.
In 1970-1979, the incidence of human leptospirosis in Israel was 0.7 per 100,000 population. The majority of the cases (62%) occurred in northeastern Israel (Upper Galilee). Prior to 1973 the main infecting serotypes were grippotyphosa (41%) and Hebdomadis szwajizak (31%). Following the first outbreak of Hebdomadis hardjo infection in 1973, a change occurred in the epidemiologic pattern of human leptospirosis, with hardjo becoming the most common serotype (59%). Hardjo infection outbreaks were sporadic and localized to dairy farms. The peak of incidence was during the summer months, June-September. All the patients with hardjo were dairy workers. The illness was relatively mild and mostly unicteric. Cattle seemed to be the principal source of hardjo infection for man.
D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004285:Dogs; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D007919:Leptospira / Q000145:classification*; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D051381:Rats; D012621:Seasons; D012703:Serotyping; D013552:Swine; D015047:Zoonoses