Leptospirosis has killed two people in Latvia this year

Leptospirosis has killed two people in Latvia this year, with 20 people diagnosed by the end of September, LSM reported, citing data from the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Last year, 60 people contracted the disease and three died.

People can catch the dangerous infection through contact with water or soil contaminated by rodents. It affects both people and animals and can be fatal in severe cases.

Early symptoms such as high fever, headaches and muscle pain can resemble flu or another viral infection. Doctors warn that the disease can progress quickly, making prompt diagnosis and treatment important.

In severe cases, symptoms can include yellowing of the skin, intense muscle pain, very high fever, bloody discharge or rashes, and reduced urine output, said Indra Zeltiņa, a professor and specialist in hepatology and infectious diseases at Riga East Clinical University Hospital. Delays in antibacterial treatment can worsen the prognosis, she said.

The infection also poses a risk to pets, especially dogs. Daira Viškere, a veterinarian at the Veterinary Clinic of the Latvian University of Life Sciences and Technologies, said the clinic treated about 15 animals last year with suspected or confirmed leptospirosis, an unusually high number. The situation is calmer this year, but the clinic has a puppy with strong suspicion of the disease; it had not been vaccinated against leptospirosis.

In animals, leptospirosis can cause acute kidney damage and, in severe cases, damage to the liver as well.