Leptospirosis Outbreak: Everything You Need to Know

1. According to the Ministry of Health, as of this morning (Wednesday), 14 people have been diagnosed with the leptospirosis bacterium and are in stable condition. Some were hospitalized and received antibiotic treatment.

2. Leptospirosis is an infectious disease known as leptospirosis. It is a zoonotic disease, transmitted to humans from animals. There are over a million cases reported worldwide annually, mainly in developing countries. In Israel, the disease is relatively rare, with an average of 10 cases per year.

3. The disease is found in some animals that excrete the bacterium, with the main spreaders being rodents, particularly rats and mice. Cattle, wild boars, and dogs can also spread the disease.

4. The disease is contracted through direct or indirect contact with the urine of infected animals, with the primary route of entry for the bacterium into humans being through skin wounds or cuts, or through the mucous membrane of the eye. In recent years, a link has been established between prolonged exposure to contaminated water sources and contraction of the disease.

5. Symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, weakness, muscle pain, back pain, gastrointestinal problems, fatigue, and exhaustion. Often, the symptoms resemble those of the flu. In a small percentage of cases, the disease can become complicated and cause liver damage, kidney failure, and meningitis.

6. Symptoms typically appear between one to two weeks after exposure to the bacterium. In rarer cases, symptoms may appear three days to three weeks after exposure.

7. It is important to understand that even those exposed to the bacterium usually do not contract the disease. Only a few individuals exposed to the bacterium develop leptospirosis, which is not dangerous and only rarely leads to complications.

8. The Ministry of Health has prohibited bathing in the rivers of Zaki, Yehudiya, Meshushim, and Zavitan. Simultaneously, other rivers in the northern Jordan region (Banias, Dan, Hasbani, and Jilbon, as well as kayaking and rafting sites) are being examined by the Ministry of Health.

9. According to the Ministry of Health's directive, patients who bathed in Zaki, Yehudiya, Meshushim, and Zavitan rivers after July 1, 2018, and developed a fever above 38 degrees Celsius within less than three weeks after swimming are advised to consult their family doctor. If there is no fever or other symptoms, there is no need for medical examination.

10. The treatment for leptospirosis is through antibiotics given in tablets or intravenously. Hospitalization is usually not necessary.