Eight cases of infectious leptospirosis reported in flood-hit areas
Ljubljana, 31 August - Eight cases of leptospirosis, a bacterial disease transmitted by rodents and possibly by domestic animals, were confirmed in August in areas that were hit by the catastrophic floods at the beginning of the month. All of the infected persons are said to have helped out in post-flood clean-up efforts.
Ljubljana
Eight cases of leptospirosis, an infectious disease, reported to the Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) post-floods this month.
Photo: Matic Hrabar/STA
File photo
A total of eleven cases have been reported in the country this year, of which eight in August, all of them immediately after the floods, the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) told the STA on Thursday.
Most of the cases were reported in the region of Ljubljana - several in Komenda, one in Trzin and another in Mengeš.
The people could have got infected in other areas, but NIJZ documents the cases based on the place of registered residence of the infected.
Most of the infected were helping clean buildings or around the homes in the flooded areas, with some of them seeing rodents. Not all wore protective gloves, NIJZ said.
Public broadcaster TV Slovenija reported on Wednesday that two persons were being treated for leptospirosis at UKC Ljubljana, down from six at the weekend.
Antibiotics are administered to treat the disease, which is most often transmitted by rats and wood mice, whose urine infects water or soil, where the bacteria survive three to six weeks.
In Slovenia, the disease usually breaks out in Pomurje, north-east, where three-quarters of all cases are usually reported.
Symptoms are atypical, similar to the flu, with cramps, nausea and vomiting also possible.