ILOILO – The public, particularly farmers, are being warned not to take leptospirosis for granted. It could be deadly if not treated or managed early.
From Jan. 1 to July 1 this year, 113 leptospirosis cases with five deaths were recorded in the province – 290 percent higher than the 29 cases recorded in the same period last year, data from the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) showed.
Of the five fatalities, three were recorded last month alone:
* 20-year-old male from Cabatuan died on June 19
* 39-year-old male from Leon died on June 15
* 51-year-old male from Balasan died on June 4
* 35-year-old male from Badiangan died on Feb. 28
* 39-year-old male from Carles died on Feb. 20
IPHO head Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon said leptospirosis had a 4.4 percent case fatality rate.
“We should not take this for granted. If left untreated kag wala gilayon ginpakonsulta, wala nagkadto sa rural health units (RHUs) para mag-inom sang prophylaxis, puede makapatay sa mga tawo,” Quiñon said yesterday.
The three recent deaths were all farmers with a history of wading in farmlands or rice fields.
According to the IPHO, the 51-year-old male from Balasan was in the farm and had fever the following day, which he self-medicated with paracetamol.
The victim’s fever only worsened. He had himself checked at the Jesus M. Colmenares Memorial District Hospital in the town and was later referred to a tertiary hospital in Iloilo City.
The second latest death, a 39-year-old male from Leon, also waded in the rice field.
He complained of pain on his calves, followed by jaundice until he could no longer urinate. He was also referred to a tertiary hospital in the city and later died.
The third latest death, a 20-year-old male from Cabatuan, developed fever and complained of pain on his calves on June 14. He went to the Ramon Tabiana Memorial District Hospital in the town on June 18, got referred to a tertiary hospital in the city, but died the next day.
“With these cases sang leptos, panawagan sa aton nga mga farmers kag sa bisan sin-o man nga may ara history nga paglusong sa tubig ukon farm, gilayon nga magpakonsulta kon mag-develop sang fever,” appealed Quiñon.
She added that it is not necessary to wait for the symptoms to develop before going to the RHUs. If there is a history of wading, especially for those with open wounds, one should go to the RHU immediately for prophylaxis.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease. One becomes infected through direct contact with the urine of infected animals or with a urine-contaminated environment. Bacteria enter the body through cuts or abrasions on the skin or the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and eyes.
In the early stages of the disease, symptoms include high fever, severe headache, muscle pain, chills, redness of the eyes, abdominal pain, jaundice, hemorrhages in the skin and mucous membranes, vomiting, diarrhea, and rashes.
The towns with the highest cases of leptospirosis are Cabatuan (15 cases with one death), Barotac Nuevo (12), Pototan (11), Anilao (seven), Dingle (five), Oton (five), Santa Barbara (five), Dumangas (four), San Enrique (four), and Leon (four cases with one death).
Here is the breakdown of the remaining cases: Mina (three), Badiangan (three cases with one death), Carles (three cases with one death), Maasin (three), Miag-ao (three), Janiuay (three), Balasan (three cases with one death), San Miguel (three), Lemery (three), Alimodian (two), Dueñas (two), New Lucena, Tigbauan, Barotac Viejo, Banate, Calinog, Tubungan, Batad, Zarraga, Estancia, Concepcion, and Pavia (one case each).
Only 11 of the 43 towns recorded zero case: Ajuy, Bingawan, Guimbal, Igbaras, Lambunao, Leganes, San Dionisio, San Joaquin, San Rafael and Sara, including Passi City.
The age groups most affected are the following:
* 1 to 10 years old – three cases
* 11 to 20 years old – 37 cases
* 21 to 30 years old – 33 cases
* 31 to 40 years old – 21 cases
* 41 to 50 years old – nine cases
* 51 to 60 years old – eight cases
* 61 to 70 years old – two cases./PN
