ISMJ

Background: Leptospirosis is an infectious disease of animals and Man caused by a spiral-shaped organism (spirochete) of the genus Leptospira. Following torrential rains on Jan 2004, the Helleh River area was flooded and it was followed by an outbreak of haemorrhagic fever in domestic animals with a high fatality rate. Methods: Sera of all (58 cases) livestock breeders of the Helleh River area and 359 livestock breeders from the surrounding villages (as a control group) were collected and tested for anti-leptospiral antibodies using ELISA method for Leptospira IgG/IgM. Results: IgM antibodies for leptospira were detected in 29.3% of cases and in 15.0% of control group (p=0.01). However, there was no significant difference for seropositivity of IgG (15.5% in cases and 8.4% for controls). 12.1% of cases and 2.5% of control group also were positive for both IgG & IgM antibodies (p=0.001). Fourteen livestock breeders of Helleh River had symptoms of fever, headache, low back pain and myalgia. Conclusion: Leptospirosis was the etiologic agent of the haemorrhagic fever in Helleh River area. It should be considered in the differential diagnosis of haemorrhagic fever in domestic animals. Leptospirosis should also be suspected in febrile cases with contact with flood water.