DoH reports hike in leptospirosis cases

Keep your house rat-free.

The Department of Health (DoH) in Metro Manila on Wednesday urged the public to rid their houses of rodents to curb the spread of leptospirosis in the capital.

Based on the latest record of the Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit, the number of cases in the metropolis went up this year with 583 cases and 48 deaths reported from January to November 12.

Manila accounted for the highest number of cases with 137, followed by Quezon City with 103.

Dr. Eduardo Janairo, DoH regional director for Metro Manila, said that to avoid rodent infestation at home, holes big enough for rats to pass through should be sealed or covered.

Food sources and other items that could serve as a shelter for them must also be removed.

According to him, rodents, particularly rats and mice, are primary carriers of the leptospirosis virus, which is commonly transmitted by wading in floodwater contaminated with their urine.

Its symptoms include fever, chills and a severe headache which usually appear within four to 14 days following exposure to contaminated floodwaters or mud. Other signs are red eyes, jaundice, tea-colored urine and difficulty in urinating.

Janairo said it was important to recognize signs of rodent infestation at home. “If you regularly see rodent droppings around food packages, in drawers or cupboards or under the sink, then your house is infested,” he warned.

Nesting materials such as shredded paper, fabric, dried plant matters and traces of gnawing on food packages are also signs that rats are present in the house, he added.

Janairo advised the use of mouse traps and baits and rodent tracking powder to control rodent infestation.

“[But] as a precautionary measure, always place traps, baits and rodent tracking powder in places where children and pets cannot reach them [and] use rodenticide products according to label directions and precautions,” he said.