3 August 2000

From Jal Khambata

NEW DELHI: Union Health Minister Dr C P Thakur admitted in Parliament on Thursday that "Leptospirosis" caused by infected animals like rats, pigs, cattle and dogs had taken the toll of seven persons in Gujarat and six persons in Maharashtra by August 2 and all central assistance is being provided to the stop the disease from acquiring an epidemic form.

There were 58 reported cases of "Leptospirosis" in Gujarat and 220 in Maharashtra but so far the laboratory confirmation of the disease was available only in 51 cases of Maharashtra, the Minister said.

While giving no details of steps being taken in Gujarat or any Central teams rushed there, the Minister disclosed that most of the cases were reported from Mumbai and Thane district. To be exact in north-west of Mumbai, adjacent area of Malad and Virar in Thane district and Kalyan.

The Minister said this was not for the first time when "Leptospirosis" has struck as its outbreak have been reported in the past in the states of Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It causes a wide variety of clinical manifestations. Jaundice and haemorrhagic manifestations are present in typical cases. At times, the cases may be misdiagnosed as viral fever, dengu fever, malaria, etc., the minister, who is himself a medical practitioner, disclosed.

The root cause of transmission of this disease is the contact of skin (having cuts and bruises) and mucous membrane with water, soil or vegetation contaminated with urine by the infected animals.

The Indian Council of Medical Research has already rushed its Port Blair research centre's director to Mumbai to help in carrying out investigations to confirm the diagnosis. A team from National Institue of Communicable Diseases has also been deputed to assist the State Health authorites in containment and investigation, the Minister added. END