Kathmandu, August 6

National Public Health Laboratory has confirmed a new case for leptospirosis — a bacterial disease.

Among the 20 samples collected for pandemic influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, one tested positive for leptospirosis. The sample was collected from Waling, Syangja.

Earlier, two children had died of the disease on July 24 in Sundar Haraicha Ward No 5, Morang. Two other siblings of the children were infected with the disease then, as per Dr Guna Nidhi Sharma, section chief at Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, Teku.

The bacteria is transmitted from the urine of animals. Rodents, especially rats are its reservoirs. It transmits from the cattle, cows and pigs’ urine. Leptospirorsis  are excreted in urine and can survive in water for months.

“A direct contact with urine, blood, tissue from the infected animal or exposure to a contaminated environment transmits the disease from animals to humans. However, human-to-human transmission is rare,” informed Dr Anup Bastola, consultant tropical medicine physician at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, Teku.

Leptospirosis enters the host through abrasion in skin. People are likely to suffer from influenza like symptoms such as fever, nausea, vomiting and cough. Pulmonary haemorrhage and multiple organ failure are the complications resulting from the disease.

“One needs to wear shoes, gloves, long sleeve shirt and face mask while handling animals or contacting animal fluids or secretion.