Travel-Related Leptospirosis in Israel: A Nationwide Study

Abstract

Abstract. Leptospirosis is re-emerging in developed countries as a travel-related infection. In this nationwide study of travel-related leptospirosis in Israel, all cases diagnosed at the Central Reference Laboratory for Leptospirosis, during 2002Leptospirosis, during -2008 were retrospectively reviewed and only travel-related cases were included. During the study years, 20 (42%) of 48 leptospirosis cases in Israel were travel-related. Exposure occurred in Southeast Asia in 15 (75%) of 20 cases. The estimated yearly incidence of travel-related leptospirosis was 1.78/100,000 travelers compared with an incidence of endemic cases of 0.06/100,000 inhabitants (risk ratio = 29.6, 95% confidence interval = 16.7-52.4). Most patients (89%) were infected during water-related activities. Severe disease was present in 10 (55%) of 18 patients; 7 of them were presumptively infected with the Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup. Thus, travel-related leptospirosis is becoming increasingly important in the epidemiology of leptospirosis in Israel. Leptospirosis should be suspected in any traveler with undifferentiated febrile illness, especially when water exposure is reported.

Travel-related leptospirosis in Japan: A report on a series of five imported cases diagnosed at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine

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Acute and Potentially Life-Threatening Tropical Diseases in Western Travelers—A GeoSentinel Multicenter Study, 1996–2011

“…This finding is consistent with the findings of a recent Israeli study, where most of the patients were male tourists infected in the Mekong River in Laos. 20 None of our patients reportedly died, but untreated cases infected with certain serogroups (e.g., L. icterohaemorrhagiae) may carry a substantial mortality.…”

Interactions between environment, wild animals and human leptospirosis

“…Several leptospirosis outbreaks worldwide were related to recreational activities (63)(64)(65). In 1987, in São José dos Campos, São Paulo state, Brazil, an outbreak of human leptospirosis was associated with water activities.…”