Leptospirosis Essay

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The Philippines is known to be one of the countries in Southeast Asia endemic for leptospirosis. The National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB,2008), showed on their 2001 – 2008 Notifiable Diseases Reported Cases that there are 426 total number of of leptospirosis cases last 2008. However, A total of 690 leptospirosis cases and 36 leptospirosis deaths have been recorded by the Department of Health, most of which are from Metro Manila. (ABS-CBNNews Website,2010).Latest reported incidents were announced by the Department of Health in Northern Mindanao region stating that the death toll from leptospirosis infection in the calamity-devastated areas of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan reached 15 while over 400 others were infected (Pasaylo,2012). Leptospirosis is an epizootic illness of global distribution caused by members of the genus Leptospira. Leptospires are coiled, very thin, highly motile organism with hooked ends and two periplasmic flagella that are used for burrowing the tissue .They are also obligate aerobes, easily cultured, and can survive for long periods in water or soil (Levett,2001). Leptospires enter through broken skin, abrasions in the skin or through intact mucous membranes . They may also gain entry through drinking of contaminated water, through the mouth, throat, or esophagus and when Leptospiremia (presence of leptospires in blood) develops after leptospires gain entry to the body ,it subsequently spreads to all the organs. Leptospires multiply in the blood and tissues and can be isolated from blood and CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) during the first 4–10 days of illness. Leptospires (all forms and types of leptospires) can damage the walls of small blood vessel and cause vasculitis, which can lead to hemorrhage and leakage and extravasation of cells. Leptospires adhere to cell surface and cause cellular toxicity

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