Epidemiology of leptospirosis: an Indian perspective

Abstract

Leptospirosis is one of the most recognized zoonotic diseases around the world and has been reported from every continent inhabited by man. In recent years the disease has assumed considerable significance being increasingly involved in cases of abortions, repeat breeding and other reproductive problems in livestock resulting in huge economic losses. Leptospirosis is known to be endemic in India since the early 20 th century with most outbreaks reported from the coastal regions of the Indian peninsula and the Andaman Islands. The transmission cycle of leptospirosis involves the maintenance hosts, the carrier hosts, the environment and human beings. The carrier animals in India include rats, pigs, cattle, bandicoots and dogs. With almost every known species of rodent, marsupial and mammal a potential carrier and/or excretor of leptospires, proper understanding of the epidemiological features of these organisms is a critical step in designing interventions for diminishing the risk of the disease transmission. Intervention strategies include vaccination, rodent control, and improved environmental hygiene to eliminate possibility of water, soil and food contamination. Mass awareness or public education is of utmost importance.