In Transcarpathia, 11 cases of leptospirosis were detected over a seven-month period
In Transcarpathia, 11 cases of leptospirosis have been reported since the beginning of the year, two of which resulted in the patients’ deaths. Both women sought medical care too late, as they had tried to treat themselves at home for more than five days.
According to him, the women who died were from the Rakhiv district. One was born in 1969, and the other in 1955.
“They were admitted to the intensive care unit of the infectious diseases hospital in Uzhhorod, where they died because they sought medical help too late. It was already too late to provide assistance—that is, it was impossible to restore their bodily functions,” said Mykhailo Polyak.
The epidemiologist added that the first death from leptospirosis this year occurred in July, and the second in August. He also noted that the incidence rate in the region has risen, and cases of infection are being recorded in nearly every district.
“If we compare last year’s and this year’s incidence rates over seven months, there were 8 cases last year and 11 this year. In other words, the number of cases has increased. Such cases are being identified in almost every district, and many communities are affected by this disease,” said Mykhailo Polyak.
The specialist noted that no fatalities were recorded in the region last year, but overall, the disease is extremely dangerous:
“With leptospirosis, the mortality rate can reach about 20 percent, and we’ve seen this in Transcarpathia in previous years. So this is a disease that deserves our attention.”
How infection occurs and what the symptoms are
According to Mykhailo Polyak, leptospirosis is an acute infectious disease transmitted to humans from animals. The main carriers of the infection are rodents (rats and mice), although the pathogen can also be spread by domestic animals—dogs, cattle, sheep, and horses. Animals often carry the disease asymptomatically but shed the bacteria in their urine, which then enters bodies of water, springs, and vegetables.
The epidemiologist noted that people who frequently spend time in nature or work in agriculture—such as fishermen and hunters—are at the highest risk of infection.
The incubation period can range from 2 to 30 days, but on average it lasts 7–14 days. Initially, leptospirosis resembles a common viral respiratory infection, with a sudden fever rising to 39–40 degrees. However, a characteristic symptom of the disease is severe pain in the calf muscles, which become so tender that it is difficult to even touch them.
Mykhailo Polyak explained that the disease has two forms—icteric and non-icteric. It affects the liver, kidneys, nervous system, and cardiovascular system, and also causes blood clotting disorders.
The specialist also added that attempts at self-treatment at home are extremely dangerous. Due to the rapid progression of the infection, patients’ internal organs are quickly affected. Typically, it is precisely those patients who have attempted to treat themselves for more than 5 days who end up in the intensive care unit in serious condition.
Mykhailo Polyak, Deputy Director General for Epidemiological Surveillance and Prevention of Infectious Diseases, reported this to Suspilne.
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Ethiopia has recorded its first outbreak of the Marburg virus, which is clinically similar to Ebola. The pathogen is capable of spreading rapidly, but there are no vaccines against it.
