............................................................................................................................................................
Leptospirosis In
Water
How To Treat The
Water
The Leptospira bacteria
can live in stagnant water reservoirs like ponds, bogs, shallow lakes, puddles,
and others because these are its natural habitat - Leptospirosis outbreak can
occur after flooding or heavy rainfall in endemic areas - this is especially
true for areas with poor sanitation conditions or poor housing.
The Berkey
Leptospirosis
is a bacterial infection that we can get from animals. It can be spread
whenever the animals urinated on the water, especially rodents and dogs.
Leptospirosis
can be unpleasant, but in most cases, it cannot be life-threatening, unlike
flu.
The
symptoms rarely last for more than one week.
However, when you have a severe case of
leptospirosis, you will first get better and then get sick once again. This is
now called Weil’s disease, which can lead to serious health problems.
Examples
of this are swollen legs and arms plus chest pain, which requires
hospitalization.
Nowadays,
some water sources can be contaminated by leptospirosis. But no worries, there
are ways to treat the water from this bacteria.
Thus,
in this article, we will understand more about leptospirosis and ways on how to
treat your water source.
How
Can One Get Leptospirosis?
Leptospirosis
is caused by a bacteria known as “Leptospira interrogans.”
This
bacteria can be found in most animals that live in their kidneys. Whenever they
urinate, the bacteria ends up in the soil or water.
Whenever
you are around the water or soil contaminated with the animal pee, the bacteria
can invade your body through your wounds or dry areas. Moreover, it can enter
through your mouth, nose, or genitals.
It
is hard to acquire leptospirosis from other human beings. However, research
provides that it can be passed through breastfeeding or sexual intercourse.
You
are at risk of having leptospirosis whenever you spend the majority of your
time with animals or outdoors.
Also,
you can get it when you are rafting, swimming, or camping near affected rivers
or lakes.
They can live in stagnant water reservoirs like ponds,
bogs, shallow lakes, puddles, and others because these are its natural habitat.
You
will be more exposed to leptospirosis if your job is one of the following:
· Veterinarian
· Farmer
· Miner, sewer, or underground worker
· Slaughterhouse worker
· Military personnel
The bacteria can be found all around the world, but it
is common to Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia, South America, Central America,
and the Caribbean.
In the United States, research provides that there are
around 100 to 150 cases of leptospirosis in each year.
Leptospirosis outbreak can occur after flooding or
heavy rainfall in endemic areas. This is especially true for areas with poor
sanitation conditions or poor housing.
Historically,
Leptospirosis is a rural disease. But it has disseminated to become an urban
epidemic in poor countries and developing nations.
For
example, there is a Leptospirosis outbreak in India due to poor drainage, and
one can get infected with unintentional ingestion or skin abrasion.
It
is also due to contaminated food and beverages which are sold by the street
vendors.
Moreover,
leptospirosis can be brought about by inadequately treated raw or tap water
sources. Finally, it can be because of contact with infected rat populations.
Natural
Disasters
Flooding
because of natural disasters like hurricanes, storms, and monsoons can drown
areas with contaminated water. This can pose dangerous health concerns to the
citizens, especially to children, pregnant women, and the elderly.
The
raw standing water can contain various bacterial contaminants like cysts and
viruses.
Meanwhile,
the water treatment plants in low areas can be compromised, which can spill
treated sewage from open basins and pipes which hold pumps and tanks.
Finally,
infrastructure damage and power outages can lead to water shortages or having
unreliable water quality.
Symptoms
of Leptospirosis
Within
two weeks after contamination, you can see the signs and symptoms of
leptospirosis. But in some cases, the symptoms might not show up for one month
or more.
When
you have the disease, it will hit you fast. First, you can have a fever, which
may spike up to 104 F. Some more symptoms are muscle ache, headache, vomiting,
skin rash, and diarrhea.
The
majority of these symptoms are the same as other diseases like meningitis and
flu, thus, it is essential to get yourself tested.
Meanwhile,
leptospirosis can be treated by using antibiotics like doxycycline and
penicillin. For muscle pain and fever, your doctor can also recommend the use
of ibuprofen.
How
to Treat Leptospirosis
Patients
who are experiencing a severe type of leptospirosis will have to spend some
time in the hospital.
The
stay on the hospital can range from a few days, weeks, or months, depending on
how the patient responds to the antibiotic given by the doctor.
Thereafter,
they will have to receive antibiotics intravenously for quick relief.
Intravenous fluids can avoid the loss of essential nutrients and hydration,
which can prevent further complications.
The
patient affected with leptospirosis will need to use a ventilator if he has
difficulty breathing, depending on the organ affected by leptospirosis.
Meanwhile,
if the bacteria has affected the kidneys, then dialysis is necessary.
If
the mother is pregnant, leptospirosis can also affect the fetus. Those who have
the infection during pregnancy will have to spend some time in the hospital for
monitoring.
How
to Reduce the Risk of Acquiring Leptospirosis
If
you are involved in activities at wet soil or freshwater, there are steps that
you can take to reduce your risk of acquiring leptospirosis. Indeed, prevention
is essential. Here are the things that you can do:
Research
the Place of Outdoor Activity
Research
the place in which you will be spending your outdoor activity. Be informed of
the potential risks, especially if you are going on a place for vacation.
Try
to avoid swimming or going to lakes, swamps, or rivers, which is contaminated
by leptospirosis.
See
to it that you wash your hands and face with water and soap after contact with
damp soil or freshwater.
If
it is unavoidable to be exposed to contaminated water, consider communicating
with your doctor. He may prescribe you with medicine to prevent leptospirosis.
Wear
Personal Protective Equipment
Wear
protective shoes or clothing (personal protective equipment or PPE) during
outdoor activities. Make sure to avoid walking barefoot in places that are
potentially contaminated with mud or water.
Wait
for your Wounds to Heal
Before
going on wet soil or freshwater, make sure that you wait for your scrapes or
cuts to get healed. If the wounds take too long to heal and your trip is going
on, see to it that you cover it with watertight bandages.
Avoid
Contact with Infected Animals Like Wild Rats
Rodents
and rats are the main carriers of the leptospirosis bacteria. In the West,
around 20% of wild rats have leptospirosis. If you come in contact with their
habitat, be sure that you are extremely careful.
In
developed countries, their farm animals are vaccinated, unlike in the
developing countries, thus, there’s less risk.
If
the animal is ill, avoid getting bitten, or the bacteria will transfer via
fluids. Remember that the disease can’t be transferred through the air like flu
or cold.
Be
Aware of the Surroundings
In
foreign countries where poor sanitation is prevalent, leptospirosis can be
harder to avoid. Thus, it is best to recognize the symptoms and seek immediate
health attention as much as possible.
Use
Disinfectant
Acid
solutions, Lysol, Bleach, and iodine can kill the bacteria. Thus, it is best to
keep them on hand to clean yourself and get rid of the bacteria.
.
Be Careful in Preparing your Food
.
Be Careful in Preparing your Food
Always
be careful in preparing your food. Avoid consuming raw milk, unpasteurized
juices, or unpasteurized dairy products.
Make
sure that you wash raw produce like fruits and vegetables thoroughly. This is
true for the green and leafy vegetables since it can provide crevices for the
bacteria to adhere to.
See
to it that you rinse carefully the food that you prepare to remove the dirt and
bacteria. Finally, store meat and non-meat products separately and, as much as
possible, use separate chopping boards.
Avoid
Drinking the Contaminated Water
If
you are visiting a foreign country, do not drink the water unless you are sure
that it is clean.
Since
leptospirosis can enter the body through different openings, it is also best to
avoid sailing, waterskiing, swimming, or fishing in freshwater areas. It is
safer to fish in saltwater areas.
Disinfecting
the Drinking Water
It
is not hard to disinfect your drinking water even if you are outdoors or in a
foreign country. But this depends on how much water do you need or how
permanent the water problem is in your area. Disinfecting one bottle of water
during your camping is not the same as processing the water spring that will
flow to your entire house.
Thus,
here are some techniques that you can try to disinfect your water and prevent
leptospirosis:
Boiling
Water
The
bacteria and the pathogens that are found in the lakes and rivers can be killed
by boiling the water for a few minutes.
Thus,
boiling water will work best if you want water on small volumes only. Boiling
is the first option that you can try for camping trips.
With
boiling, the food cooked at or above the boiling point like meat is safe to
consume. Boiling needs a power source, but it doesn’t require the use of
chemicals.
Thus,
it is an acceptable option to try if people want to use a method with less
impact on their diet.
Meanwhile,
boiling is not a recommended option to try in the general household water
supply. But you can try it to make your drinking water safe.
Iodine
Tablets
It
is also effective to try water purification tables that utilize iodine. It
doesn’t need to have a heat source, but it can leave a taste that some people
find unpleasant.
Meanwhile,
iodine tablets are easy to use, and it is lightweight, especially when
traveling.
Hikers,
campers, and military personnel bring iodine tablets to have clean drinking
water when out in the wild.
Thus,
this is an ideal option for those who are always on the go.
Finally,
iodine tablets are not an effective option for disinfecting large volumes of
water to fight leptospirosis in the household. You can try other disinfecting
options like Chlorination or UV sterilizers.
UV
Sterilizers
UV
sterilizers are an effective option in fighting leptospirosis and other
pathogens, and it can be bought on different scales.
There
are permanent systems that process the flow of water inside the house with the
use of electricity. However, it can be expensive and be beyond the budget of
some homeowners.
Meanwhile,
there are portable devices available that incorporate UV sterilizers such as
pen, flashlight, or tumblers, which can sterilize a cup of water. However, you
will need to buy batteries for this.
With
UV sterilizers, there is no need to use any chemical. Moreover, the electricity
required is less compared with water boiling for the same volume of water.
However,
the water needs to be transparent, thus, it is not recommended to be used in
disinfecting fluids like milk.
Chlorination
Water,
which is not used for drinking like ornamental features and swimming, can be
disinfected and protected from leptospirosis by chlorination.
It
is a complex engineering process, especially in commercial pools. But in
private pools, owners would usually just add tablets to the water.
You
must keep the chlorine levels high. However, it must not be too high that it
will trigger allergies. Thus, it is best to test the water first with the kits
which are available in pool stores.
Leptospirosis
can be killed by chlorine in commercial pools whenever you follow the
instructions on the chlorine packets.
Black
Berkey Purification Elements Effective in Removing Leptospirosis
The
upper chamber of the Berkey products can remove leptospirosis in the water. The
product comes with the standard Berkey systems, which have been proven to
remove bacteria and viruses, which are 8 times smaller in size versus the
Leptospira virus.
Indeed,
the Berkey products can effectively purify raw water from the river, lake, and
pond. However, you should use the clearest and cleanest water as much as
possible.
Moreover,
as an additional warning, if you are using water which you think might be
contaminated with virus or bacteria, add bleach or iodine on it before
purifying. This will kill pathogens within 30 minutes.
The
Berkey can remove the disinfectant entirely out of the water plus the foul
taste and odor.
Conclusion
In
sum, leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that can affect both animals and
humans. It is due to a wide range of signs and symptoms which can be mistaken
for other forms of diseases.
For
some persons, they may not experience any symptoms at all.
There
are ways that you can try to prevent leptospirosis like avoiding contaminated
waters, wearing protective clothing, or disinfecting your water source.
If
you think that you have leptospirosis, it is best to consult your doctor for
immediate medical attention. Don’t wait for it to worsen your condition.
Without
treatment, Leptospirosis can lead to meningitis, kidney damage, inflammation of
the brain and spinal cord, respiratory distress, and even death.
Thus,
prevention is better to prevent these things from happening to you and your
family.
Welcome to The Berkey.
We strive to provide the clean, fresh and pure, healthy drinking water available because next to air, water is the most important element for our lives. The essence of good health starts with clean air and water.
The Berkey water filters consistently outperform all other water filters in its class at a fraction of the price.
This is all possible because we are determined to improve the quality of your day-to-day drinking water for your family.
Our focus is to provide exceptional products and service through integrity, commitment to our customers, teamwork, the most rigorous testing in the industry and continuous quality improvement.
We strive to provide the clean, fresh and pure, healthy drinking water available because next to air, water is the most important element for our lives. The essence of good health starts with clean air and water.
The Berkey water filters consistently outperform all other water filters in its class at a fraction of the price.
This is all possible because we are determined to improve the quality of your day-to-day drinking water for your family.
Our focus is to provide exceptional products and service through integrity, commitment to our customers, teamwork, the most rigorous testing in the industry and continuous quality improvement.
Should you have any question,
please feel free to contact us.
No comments:
Post a Comment