City reports five leptospirosis cases in seven days

With the city roads being waterlogged on account of heavy rain, Mumbai has reported five leptospirosis cases in the last seven days

With the city roads being waterlogged on account of heavy rain, Mumbai has reported five leptospirosis cases in the last seven days.

The condition of the service road behind Jogeshwari police station in Mumbai on Tuesday. Vijay Bate/HT Photo

The health department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued an advisory on this bacterial disease as more water stagnation is anticipated in the coming days.

This monsoon, the city has seen 17 leptospirosis cases while there were 37 cases recorded in July last year.

Dr Rahul Tambe, senior consultant, internal medicine and infectious diseases, Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital, Vile Parle, said the infection had seen a sharp drop in the last two years with minimal human activity and reduced exposure to contaminated water.

“As society has resumed routine transportation, we are seeing a mild increase in leptospirosis patients. The leptospirosis bacteria are commonly transmitted from animals to humans’ bodies through cuts, abrasions in the skin, and sometimes due to ingestion of floodwater through mouth or nose and rarely through eyes,” he said.

Dr Tambe further said that parents should ensure children do not play in puddles or accumulated water. “Adults should completely avoid areas with chances of sewage or gutter water leakages. In case the individual encounters contaminated water, they should first wash their hands or legs with soap and water. They can also approach their personal physician for doxycycline prophylaxis.”

Dr Vikrant Shah, consulting physician, intensivist and infectious disease specialist, Zen Multispeciality Hospital, Chembur, said Mumbaiites should be watchful for leptospirosis symptoms and consult a doctor instead of self-medicating if they have a history of wading through the water.

“It is a bacterial infection transmitted from animals to humans. These animals carry the organism, which ends up in soil and water via their urine. It is mainly spread through open wounds on the skin. The symptoms such as muscle discomfort, vomiting, diarrhoea, and skin rash are caused by leptospirosis. Avoid wading through waterlogged areas,” he said.

BMC health officials said 3,442,91 houses were surveyed between July 7 and 9 and 43,297 adults and 114 children were given medicines as they were exposed to stagnant water.