Published Date: 1999-09-09 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Leptospirosis - Dominican Rep.
Archive Number: 19990909.1595
LEPTOSPIROSIS - DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
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A ProMED post
<http://www.healthnet.org/programs/promed.html>
See Also
Leptospirosis, update - USA (Illinois) 990301234512Leptospirosis - Belize 990225225552
Leptospirosis - Costa Rica 990613233239
Leptospirosis - Guatemala 990809225446
Leptospirosis alert - Nicaragua (Rio San Juan) 990625211244
Leptospirosis - Nicaragua 990605091851
Leptospirosis - Nicaragua (02) 990709232059
[1
Date: Fri 27 Aug 1999
From: ProMED
Source: EFE News Services (U.S.) Inc. Fri 27 Aug 1999 [edited
The death of a woman this week brought to 5 the number of people who have
died from leptospirosis in the northern Dominican Republic city of Santiago
in 1999, health
authorities reported Friday.
The fifth victim was a 35-year-old woman, who was diagnosed with the
disease after running a temperature, with aches and tremors.
Leptospirosis is caused by bacteria found in the urine of rats and domestic
animals feeding on trash and drinking contaminated water.
According to relatives of the deceased woman in the Hoya de Caimito
neighborhood of Santiago, the area teems with rats feeding on trash.
Dominican health authorities said that hundreds of people had checked into
a local hospital with symptoms of leptospirosis and that the incidence of
the disease in the city of Santiago had reached alarming proportions.
Authorities added that the main cause of death from leptospirosis is lung
hemorrhage, brought about by respiratory failure and a breakdown of the
body's coagulation system.
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[2
Date: Wed, 8 Sep 1999 15:41:23 -0400
From: Ellen Koenig <ellen.koenig@codetel.net.do>
Via: Marjorie P. Pollack, MD <pmm-mpp@mindspring.com>
[According to Epidemiology Dept of Public Health It seems there have been
25 cases of suspected leptospirosis during the year, 10 of which have been
laboratory confirmed. A woman died at the beginning of the year [1999.
Serovars are _icterohaemorraghiae_, _canicola_ and _hardjo_.
According to Dr. Valdez and the director (Dr. Elizabeth Gomez), there has
been no rush of people to the hospital with leptospirosis symptoms.
Should you want to e-mail the Epidemiology Dept. of Public Health:
<SESPAS1@codetel.net.do>
--
Ellen Koenig
e-mail: ellen.koenig@codetel.net.do
[ProMED readers are expected to draw their own conclusions from conflicting
reports such as the above. - Mod.JW
...............................................jw/es
--
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