Battling Leptospirosis

Why in news?

The researchers at the Yale School of Public Health (YSPH) are involved in a major genome-sequencing effort for 20 Leptospira species.

What is Leptospirosis?                                

• It is a zoonotic disease i.e spread from animals to humans, caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira.
• It is commonly known a rat fever and it affects both humans as well as other animals.
• The infection is generally transmitted to humans by water that has been contaminated by animal urine which comes in contact with unhealed breaks in the skin, the eyes, or with the mucous membranes.
• Leptospira interrogans spreads under conditions of stagnant water, flood water, humidity, and proximity between man and beast.
• In most of the cases, leptospirosis only causes mild flu-like symptoms, such as headache, chills and muscle pain.
• However, in some cases the infection is more severe and can cause life-threatening problems, including organ failure and internal bleeding.
• Severe form of leptospirosis is known as Weil's disease.

What is a genome?

• A genome is an organism’s complete set of DNA, including all of its genes.
• It includes the genes (the coding regions), the noncoding DNA and the genetic material of the mitochondria and chloroplasts.
• Each genome contains all of the information needed to build and maintain that organism.

What is the recent study about?

• In 2016 leptospirosis cases were reported in India, even before the onset of the monsoon.
• 2017 is facing the prospect of erratic monsoons.
• Also there is no major improvement nationwide in waste-water and flood-water management.
• So the leptospirosis toll is expected to be greater.
• Therefore the study is aimed to improve the odds of controlling this disease by understanding the genetic determinants of Leptospira pathogenesis.

What are the findings?

• One accomplishment is the development of a pangenomic signalling database.
• This has enabled researchers to explore the molecular mechanisms and regulatory pathways underlying Leptospira virulence.

• The research also focuses on a “One Health” approach.
• This approach integrates efforts to predict and control a disease at the human-animal-ecosystem interface, which is the key to defeat re-emerging zoonotic diseases such as leptospirosis.
• It stresses upon identifying transmission sources, stratify disease risk and prioritise prevention in the resource-poor settings of Indian slums.
• It also highlights the fact that across Primary Health Centres in India, rapid diagnostic tests are often used instead of serological tests due to lack of adequate trained personnel.
• These rapid tests may not reach the optimal sensitivity until at least a week after onset of fever.
• The sensitivity of the tests is low during the acute stage.
• Therefore these rapid diagnostic tests should be used with caution before ruling out leptospirosis.

Source: The Hindu