News
Rat fever risks rise with rains; hundreds infected in Ratnapura and Colombo
View(s):By Sajeniya Sathanandan
Health professionals are urging precautions to avoid infection with leptospirosis (Rat fever), as it has the potential to cause an outbreak in the months ahead.
Ratnapura has the highest percentage at 12.67%, but other provinces can also be affected because of humidity and the rainy season.
Outbreaks can be triggered by monsoonal rains, floods, paddy cultivation and harvesting. Nearly 200 deaths occur every year, says Dr Thushani Dabrera, consultant community physician at the Health Ministry’s Epidemiology Unit.
Paddy farmers are also vulnerable to Rat fever
The highest number of 326 cases has been detected in the Ratnapura District, followed by the Galle district (201 cases) and the Gampaha district (188 cases). The Colombo district has recorded 118 cases.
Dr Dabrera said that so far for this year—up to April 24—a total of 2,572 leptospirosis cases have been reported.
Based on high humidity and heavy rainfall, leptospirosis outbreaks can occur due to widespread contamination. It can be expected between two seasons, such as March to May (a smaller outbreak) and October to December (a larger outbreak), which could continue until January.
Leptospirosis infections are mainly seen among paddy farmers and gem miners in the Ratnapura district.
Experts recommend precautions, including avoiding exposure to contaminated water or soil whenever possible, wearing protective clothes and knee-high boots, and using waterproof dressings for any wounds or skin injury. Chemoprophylaxis is recommended for paddy farmers.
Vulnerable are children playing in marshland or paddy fields; adults bathing in contaminated inland lakes or ponds; and those doing sewer work, fishing, or sand mining on river banks.
Dr Dabrera said if people seek treatment immediately when fever develops, complications and death can be prevented, as the disease is treatable. Early symptoms include high fever and headache, which can be misleadingly similar to dengue. Specific symptoms are severe muscle pain, particularly in the lower back and redness in the eyes.
Rodent control and proper waste management are needed to control this disease.
Leptospirosis is seen as an endemic disease in Sri Lanka. While many believe it only affects people working in paddy fields, it is not the case. This is carried in the urine of rodents, points out Dr Dammika Adikariwattage, Medical Officer of Health at Colombo Municipal Council.
Rain washes animal urine into the environment, where it can concentrate in tanks or slow-moving water. The bacteria enter the human body through mucosal membranes such as the eyes, nose, or mouth or injured skin.
There is a significant number of cases reported in Colombo, often linked to poor garbage disposal and drainage issues. Dr Adikariwattage said sanitation workers, garbage handlers, and those dealing with food waste are highly vulnerable.
He said recommendations have been provided to control the disease, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves and boots for those working in risky environments to prevent entry points for the bacteria. Proper garbage disposal is recommended to reduce the rodent population and to promote composting and recycling projects, which convert food waste to energy, as it can significantly reduce the food sources that attract rats.
In flooded or high-risk areas, health authorities provide doxycycline 200 mg as a preventive treatment, Dr Adikariwattage said. The disease is extremely serious and can be more dangerous than dengue because it attacks the kidneys very quickly. It can lead to renal failure and total kidney shutdown. Severe cases may require dialysis (haemodialysis) to support kidney function until recovery.
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