Leptospirosis in the Rural Areas of Guilan Province (2004-2005)

Abstract

Introduction: Leptospirosis is a worldwide disease which affects wild and domestic animals as well as human beings, and has become a major public health problem throughout the world, particularly in the tropics and temperate regions, especially in costal region of northern par tap Iran. It is caused by the pathogenic Leptospira sp. strains that are often responsible for nervous system abnormalities. The disease varies from subclinical infection to a severe illness with multi organ involvement. Rodents and domestic animals are the reservoir of this disease. Rural inhabitants are mainly farmers, therefore all of them could be affected with direct contact by animals and working on farms, since most of them are working specially in warm seasons and bare-footed with paying no attention to any basic advice. In this research, we wanted to determine the incidence rate of Leptospira between the rural inhabitants, and detect the serum titers of the patients.