Published Date: 2009-02-25 10:00:46
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Leptospirosis - Fiji (03)
Archive Number: 20090225.0772

LEPTOSPIROSIS - FIJI (03)
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Date: Wed 25 Feb 2009
Source: Fiji Times [edited]
<http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=115228>


The number of leptospirosis deaths in the country now sits at 4 after
the Ministry of Health confirmed the North's 1st death. Ministry of
Health spokesman Iliesa Tora yesterday [24 Feb 2009] said [the] 4th
death occurred 2 weeks ago. The patient had been admitted at the
Labasa Hospital for 3 weeks, he said. "For the north, one
leptospirosis patient has died which brings to 4 the total number of
deaths from leptospirosis with 3 from the west and one in the North,"
he said.

Mr Tora said 14 leptospirosis cases were reported nationwide; 8 in
the West, 2 in the North, and 4 in the Central Division.

--
Communicated by:
Seth Edmunds
United States Peace Corps
Kadavu
Fiji
<sethmund@gmail.com>

[More than 90 percent of patients with leptospirosis have a mild,
self-limited illness, with fever, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea, cough, pharyngitis, skin rash, and muscle pain especially
in calves and lumbar region, which is rarely fatal. About 10 percent
develop a more severe illness with myocardial, pulmonary, renal or
hepatic involvement that may be fatal in 5-40 percent. In recent
studies of patients admitted to hospitals, about 20 percent die
(<http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/513767>;
<http://www.psmid.org.ph/vol31/vol31num4topic1.pdf>).

The fact that there are 4 deaths due to leptospirosis in Fiji
suggests that there are likely more than the 14 reported cases, who
likely have mild illness.

For the interactive HealthMap/ProMED map of Fiji with links to other
recent ProMED-mail reports on events of interest in Fiji and
neighboring countries, see
<http://healthmap.org/promed/en?v=-18,178,5>. - Mod.ML]

See Also

Leptospirosis - Fiji (02) 20090207.0554
Leptospirosis - Fiji 20090204.0502
2008
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Leptospirosis - Guyana (coastal) 20081231.4131
Leptospirosis - Peru: (Loreto), new species 20080407.1279
Leptospirosis - Jamaica 20080125.0312
2007
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Leptospirosis - Dominican Republic 20071124.3804
Leptospirosis - Jamaica (02) 20071018.3409
Leptospirosis - Jamaica 20071016.3383
2006
----
Leptospirosis - Guyana (coastal): susp. 20060131.0313
Leptospirosis - Dominican Republic 20060110.0085
2005
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Leptospirosis - Guyana (coastal)(05) 20050304.0666
Leptospirosis, fatal - Venezuela (Carabobo): susp. 20050303.0655
Leptospirosis, fatal - Guyana (coastal) 20050204.0379
2004
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Leptospirosis, human, canine - USA (TX) (03) 20040911.2527
Leptospirosis, human, canine - USA (TX) (02) 20040907.2499
Leptospirosis, human, canine - USA (TX) 20040904.2472
Leptospirosis, fatal - USA (AS) 20040820.2307
Leptospirosis, fatal - Argentina (Entre Rios) (03) 20040810.2204
Leptospirosis, fatal - Argentina (Entre Rios) (02) 20040807.2166
Leptospirosis, fatal - Argentina (Entre Rios) 20040805.2141
Leptospirosis, fatal - Trinidad & Tobago 20040419.1085
Leptospirosis, fatal - USA: background 20040413.1007
Leptospirosis, fatal - USA (HI) 20040411.0987
2003
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Leptospirosis - Ecuador (Manabi) 20030214.0385
...................................ml/mj/lm

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