Health officials warn of life-threatening infection during floods

The warning was issued by the Disease Prevention and Control Region 11 Office and also distributed by the state news agency NNT.

The warning highlights that seven people have already died from leptospirosis from Jan 1 through Sept 23 this year in Ministry of Health Region 11, which includes Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi.

While maintaining its warnings for monkey pox infections, the Phuket Provincial Health Office has yet to issue warnings about leptospirosis.

According to Dr Kraisorn Tothapthieng, chief of the  Disease Prevention and Control Region 11 Office, a total of 583 patients with leptospirosis have been admitted to hospitals within the Region 11 area of authority. Provinces with the highest number of cases were given as Ranong, Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Phang Nga, Surat Thani, Chumphon, Phuket, and Krabi.

Dr Kraisorn did not reveal any information regarding the specific number of cases or fatalities in separate provinces. He just said that 465 of the patients were men while 118 were women. The two most common age groups were 35-44 years old, followed by 25-34 years old.

Leptospirosis is a blood infection caused by the bacteria Leptospira that can infect humans as well as rats, dogs, and other mammals. Rats are known as one of the most common carriers.

The bacteria are spread to humans through animal urine or, most commonly, through water or moist soil contaminated with animal urine. The Leptospira can be found in ponds, canals, puddles, sewers, agricultural fields and moist soil.

The bacteria can infect the target through ingestion of contaminated food, but most commonly, they enter the body through cuts and abrasions on the skin or through contact with the mucous membrane of the body (mouth, nose, eyes or else).

This is why walking through flooded areas without rubber boots or other means of protection can be highly dangerous. Same applies to working with soil without gloves.

“Within approximately one or two weeks after infection, the patient will begin to have fever, headache, body aches and muscle pain. Later there may be red eyes, jaundice, yellow eyes, little urine output, coughing up blood and eventually death,” Dr Kraisorn warned.

A person suspecting leptospirosis should urgently contact a medical specialist, Dr Kraisorn stressed. Late admission or self-treatment can lead to a life-threatening development of the disease and death.

To protect themselves from leptospirosis, a person should:

1. Avoid wading through mud or water for a long time. If such an action is necessary, wear rubber boots or cover your feet with plastic foot bags. Wash your hands and feet frequently with soap and water. Take a shower to clean the whole body immediately after finishing working or wading in the water.
2. Eat only freshly cooked food. Keep food sealed. Avoid eating food left overnight in a closed container.
3. Keep your house and surrounding area clean and free of rats.
4. If you have a fever, see a doctor immediately. It will help prevent the life-threatening development of the disease.

For additional information, people can call the Department of Disease Control’s hotline at 1422.

Of note, in 2004, Soi Dog Foundation co-founder Gill Dalley lost both legs because of a severe bacterial infection. Though it has not been revealed which bacteria caused this, Ms Dalley became infected while trying to rescue a dog in a flooded field.