After floods, RS has more than 800 suspected cases of leptospirosis under analysis

Rio Grande do Sul already has more than 800 suspected cases of leptospirosis. The analyzes are carried out by the Central Laboratory of the State of Rio Grande do Sul (Lacen/RS).

The body, linked to the State Department of Health (SES), monitors the growth in the number of occurrences due to the large period of floods and the increase in exposure to the disease by the population.

According to data updated until Thursday (23), there are already 1,072 notifications and 54 confirmed cases of leptospirosis in the state.

Rio Grande do Sul has had four deaths so far due to the disease. The records refer to two men, aged 56 and 50, residents of Cachoeirinha and Porto Alegre, respectively.

There are still four other deaths under investigation on suspicion of death from the disease, in the cities of Encantado, Sapucaia, Viamão and Tramandaí.

How the analysis is carried out

To identify the disease, Lacen has used two methods: molecular biology (RT-PCR) and serological diagnosis.

RT-PCR detects the bacteria present in the patient's body and is recommended for samples collected in the first seven days of symptoms.

Serological diagnosis detects the antibody produced by the patient's body in response to the infection caused by the Leptospira bacteria. The serological reaction is the option of choice for analyzing samples from patients who have had symptoms for seven days or more.

The disease

Leptospirosis is an acute febrile infectious disease transmitted from direct or indirect exposure to the urine of infected animals (mainly rats), which may be present in water or mud in flooded areas.

In a note, the State Health Surveillance Center (Cevs) informed that it monitors some diseases and health problems during floods, as disclosed in the balance sheet this past Thursday (23).