ABSTRACT

Leptospira is a spirochete that is responsible for causing leptospirosis, and is the most widespread and prevalent zoonotic disease in the world. Leptospirosis has raised considerable public concern during the past few decades due to its involvement in numerous outbreaks. As a most important environmental endemic disease, leptospirosis is often associated with natural disasters such as floods and hurricanes [1]. Leptospira bacteria circulate in nature by chronic renal infection of carrier animals, which excrete the organisms in their urine, thus contaminating the environment eventually. Most human infections are asymptomatic. In symptomatic individuals, leptospirosis presents with a wide spectrum of illness, ranging from undifferentiated febrile illness to severe multisystem disease with increased mortality. There is a significant degree of underdiagnosis due to the extreme variation of clinical presentation.