Secretariat of Health (SES) of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) confirmed, on Monday afternoon (20/5), the death of a 67-year-old man, resident of the municipality of Travesseiro, in Vale do Taquari, due to leptospirosis . The confirmation came after the positive result in the sample analyzed by the Central State Laboratory (Lacen), in Porto Alegre. This fact reinforces the advice to seek a health service at the first symptoms: fever, headache, weakness, body aches (especially in the calf) and chills.
The patient’s death occurred on Friday (17/5). The first symptoms were noticed on May 9th.
This is the first confirmed case of death in Rio Grande do Sul following the floods recorded since the end of April. However, it is not the first of the year in the State, since leptospirosis is a disease considered endemic, that is, with systematic circulation in the environment. Episodes such as flooding increase the chance of infection.
SES, through the State Health Surveillance Center (Cevs), has been monitoring suspected cases based on notifications made by municipalities. In recent weeks, 304 unconfirmed occurrences of leptospirosis and 19 confirmed cases have been identified.
Before the period of calamity faced by Rio Grande do Sul, with data up to April 19, the State had already recorded, in 2024, 129 cases and six deaths. In 2023, there were 477 cases and 25 deaths.
The disease and symptoms
Leptospirosis is an acute febrile infectious disease transmitted through direct or indirect exposure to the urine of infected animals (mainly rats), which may be present in the water or mud of flooded areas. Contagion occurs through skin contact with contaminated water or through mucous membranes.
The main symptoms are: fever, headache, weakness, body aches (especially in the calf) and chills. They normally appear five to 14 days after contamination, and can last up to 30 days. When identifying the first symptoms, the advice is to seek a health service immediately and report whether there has been contact with flooding.
Laboratory testing
Considering the current scenario of rains and floods in several regions of the State, suspected cases originating from flooded areas and with symptoms compatible with leptospirosis should begin immediate drug treatment. When possible, a sample should be collected from the seventh day after the onset of symptoms to be sent to Lacen.
Treatment
Treatment with the use of antibiotics should be started at the time of suspicion by a healthcare professional. For mild cases, care is outpatient, but in severe cases, hospitalization must be immediate, seeking to avoid complications and reduce lethality. Self-medication is not recommended.
Cleaning
In places that have been invaded by rainwater, it is recommended to disinfect the environment with bleach (2.5% sodium hypochlorite), in the proportion of one glass of bleach for a 20-liter bucket of water. Other prevention measures are: keeping food stored in tightly closed containers, keeping the kitchen clean and free of food debris and removing leftover food or pet food before dark. Keeping the land clean and avoiding debris and accumulation of objects in backyards help prevent the presence of rodents. Sunlight also helps kill the bacteria.