Incidence of leptospirosis in Pardubice and Hradec Králové region and a part of Vysočina region in the years 2002-2009
Abstract
Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of leptospirosis in Pardubice and Hradec Králové regions and a part of Vysočina region in 2002-2009. A group of patients was statistically analyzed and the incidence rates of leptospirosis in individual months and years were calculated.
Material and methods: A group of 4,813 patients with suspected leptospirosis from Pardubice and Hradec Králové regions and a part of Vysočina region were examinated in our centre in 2002-2009. A total of 5,366 biological samples were studied.
From 4,625 blood samples, 3,958 were examinated with the serological microagglutination-lysis method and the remaining 667 with the PCR method. Results: From 4,813 patients suspected to have leptospirosis, 89 were found to be leptospirosis-positive.
Leptospirosis was diagnosed in 63 males (70.7 %) a 26 females (29.3 %); the mean age were 39.52 +- 17.67 years in males and 46.85 +- 18.34 years in females; the mean age men + women was 41.66 +- 18.13 years (range 3-78 years). Most positive male patients (n = 28) were in 26-45 age group; the findings were similar in females (n = 10).
The highest number of leptospirosis cases was noted in 2005. Most frequently, infection caused by pathogenic leptospires was diagnosed in Novemeber.
Conclusion: The incidence rates of leptospirosis in Pardubice and Hradec Králové regions and a part of Vysočina region in 2002-2009 (with the exception of 2008) exceeded the overall reported levels 0.4/100,000 population.