Surveillance of leptospirosis after flooding at Loei Province, Thailand by year 2002.
In this surveillance, suspected leptospirosis patients in Loei Hospital, Loei Province were studied by conventional methods of cultivation and microscopic agglutination test (MAT) during July-October, 2002. It was found that 63% of 64 admitted patients and 35% of 34 outpatients were found positive by leptospire cultivation. Antibodies determined by MAT were positive in 78% of 63 admitted patients. Particularly, the five most common agglutinating antibodies were reactive with serovars bratislava (57%), autumnalis (48%), new (38%), australis (37%) and bangkok (29%). The MAT results of 15 OPD patients were 67% positive with the following five serovars, including bratislava (47%), new (20%), bangkok (7%), ranarum (7%) and australis (7%). Accordingly, preventive strategies against leptospirosis outbreaks after flooding in Thailand should be undertaken, including the prompt treatment of the disease in this endemic area.
Niwetpathomwat
Anuchai
A
Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Henry Dunant Road, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand. anuch_tee@yahoo.com
Niwatayakul
Kannika
K
Doungchawee
Galayanee
G
D000372:Agglutination Tests; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004190:Disasters; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006801:Humans; D007919:Leptospira / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial