LEPTOSPIROSIS RESEARCH

I decided to do some basic research on the virus/disease in order to gain more knowledge on it and therefore use some of that information and apply it to our trailer. I thought that by applying and using information of the disease will both help us plan out different scenes that we could use for our trailer but it would also appear a lot more realistic. I mostly decided to pick out the most important information about the disease or the information that we could incorporate into our trailer such as what the disease is, where and how you can catch it and its symptoms.

Leptospirosis is spread to humans by animals.

You can catch it by touching soil or water contaminated with the urine of wild animals infected with the leptospira bacteria.

Animals known to be carriers of the leptospira bacteria include cattle, pigs, dogs and rodents, particularly rats.

Although the condition is uncommon in the UK, people who regularly deal with animals, such as farmers and vets, have a higher risk of developing leptospirosis.

You may also be at a higher risk if you frequently come into contact with rivers and lakes. This might be because of your occupation or through taking part in activities such as water sports and fishing.

• The first phase ƒ Symptoms are similar to those of the flu, including high fever, severe headache, chills, muscle aches, and vomiting, and may also include a rash. ƒ May last between 3 to 5 days before recovery. ƒ In mild cases the patient will recover after just the first phase but they can suffer fatigue and depression for some time afterwards
• The second phase ƒ Initial symptoms will reoccur. ƒ Further symptoms can vary according to severity and may include jaundice (yellow skin and eyes), red eyes, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea. ƒ Symptoms can be similar to those of meningitis. ƒ Severe cases can also cause the failure of kidneys or liver. ƒ Death can occur due to heart, liver or respiratory failure.