title: Human leptospirosis trends, the Netherlands, 1925-2008.
abstract: To increase knowledge of leptospirosis in the Netherlands and identify changing trends of this disease over time, we analyzed historical passive surveillance reports for an 84-year period (1925-2008). We found that 2,553 mainly severe leptospirosis cases were diagnosed (average annual incidence rate 0.25 cases/100,000 population). The overall case-fatality rate for patients with reported leptospirosis was 6.5% but decreased over the period, probably because of improved treatment. Ninety percent of reported leptospirosis cases were in male patients. Most autochthonous leptospirosis infections were associated with recreational exposures, but 15.5% of the cases were attributed to accidents that resulted in injury and to concomitant water contact. Since the end of the 1950s, the proportion of imported infections gradually increased, reaching 53.1% of the total during 2005-2008. Most (80.1%) imported infections were associated with sporting and adventurous vacation activities.
authors.affiliation: Royal Tropical Institute of Biomedical Research, Meibergdreef 39, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands. m.goris@kit.nl
authors.forename: Marga G A
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Goris
authors.forename: Kimberly R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Boer
authors.forename: Tamara A T E
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: Suzanne J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kliffen
authors.forename: Rudy A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hartskeerl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000266:history / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution
keywords: Leptospira spp.; accidents; bacteria; diagnosis; epidemiologic trends; epidemiology; human leptospirosis; passive serologic surveillance; recreational activities; sex; the Netherlands; travelers; zoonoses