Infection was recently confirmed in three cases. In November alone there was one confirmed case, along with three probable cases, among people who were swimming in the Ylig River at the Manenggon Memorial on Veterans Day, according to DPHSS.
For the other two confirmed cases in November, one has no additional information available and the other case involved working at an unspecified outdoor job site.
Infection was also recently confirmed from tests conducted off-island, in two separate U.S. Naval Hospital cases in mid-October: one active duty military member who had been hiking at San Carlos Falls in Nimitz Hill, and a military dependent whose exposure is unknown.
Leptospirosis may be fatal, and is transmitted from animals to humans by infected urine through the environment. Infection can occur through breaks in the skin or through the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose or mouth. The wide range of leptospirosis symptoms — high fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, vomiting, jaundice, red eyes, abdominal pain, diarrhea and rash — can be mistaken for other diseases such as dengue fever or flu, DPHSS stated.
It is estimated that more than 1 million cases occur worldwide annually, including almost 60,000 deaths. In the United States, approximately 100–150 leptospirosis cases are reported annually, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Without treatment, the disease can lead to serious complications such as kidney and liver failure and even death, the DPHSS stated.
It is therefore crucial that people who feel sick with a fever and think they have the disease quickly consult a doctor. Early antibiotic treatment is a major determinant of rapid recovery and prevents most of the severe complications and fatalities.
Heavy and torrential rainfall caused by tropical storms is an important trigger of leptospirosis in tropical settings like Guam.
Since Guam has had a lot of rain and stormy weather recently, this is the likely reason why DPHSS is seeing numerous confirmed and probable leptospirosis cases. Historical information shows leptospirosis infection on Guam occurs mainly in people who have been hiking and/or swimming in streams and rivers in the southern part of the island.
The risk of acquiring leptospirosis can be greatly reduced by not swimming or wading in water that might be contaminated with animal urine; thus, the public may wish to refrain from such activities, particularly after a heavy rainfall, and by eliminating contact with potentially infected animals, DPHSS stated.
Protective clothing or footwear should be worn by those exposed to contaminated water or soil because of their job or recreational activities.
