Leptospirosis in the population of the North Huetar Region during the period between 1997 and 2000
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51481/amc.v46i4.160Keywords:
zoonosis, espiroqueta, enfermedad de Weil, leptospirosisAbstract
objectives:To determine the epidemiologicalbehavior of leptospirosis among the population of the north-ern region (Región Huetar Norte) of Costa Rica, during the4 year period comprised between 1997 to 2000 according tobiomedical data issued by the regional headquarters of theMinistry of Health and the local Hospital.
Methods:A list of cases with positive serology for lep-tospirosis seen in the northern region from 1997 to the year2000, was supplied by the INCIENSA database. Their med-ical records were obtained from the office of biostatistics ofthe San Carlos Hospital. The information was collected ina previously designed form. The results were analyzed withthe Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).
Results:58 patients had positive serology for leptospirosis.Among them the male gender predominated in a 13:1 ratio.Young adults (ages from 15 to 30 years) were more fre-quently affected. Most of the people diagnosed with lep-tospirosis were natives of San Carlos. More than one thirdof the patients were engaged in agriculture or cattle han-dling. The serotypes more frequently detected were pomonafollowed by sejroe, tarassoviand hebdomadis.
The symptoms were fever, headaches, myalgia andbleeding. Laboratory findings renal and hepatic functiontests abnormalities, thrombocytopenia and increased CPKwere.
Conclusions:Risk factors were present in almost all of thepatients. Occupational factors predominated. Leucopoeniawas 3 times more frequent than leucocytosis. This factwould lead us to state that there is a clinical behavior of lep-tospirosis that differs from what is described in the literature.
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