洪水被災地でレプトスピラ症感染死が増加　ブラジル南部州

【リオデジャネイロＡＦＰ＝時事】大規模な洪水被害を受けたブラジル南部リオグランデドスル州当局は２８日、ネズミなどの保菌動物からうつるレプトスピラ症の感染死が被災地で増えていると警告した。（写真は、ブラジルリオグランデドスル州ポルトアレグレの冠水した道路）
　同州保健当局によると、現時点でレプトスピラ症による死者が５人確認されているほか、別の９人についても死因を検証中。
　レプトスピラ症は、ネズミや家畜など保菌動物の尿が土壌や水を汚染することによって人も感染する。細菌のレプトスピラは数週間は生存でき、豪雨や洪水に見舞われた後、人の間で感染が流行することが多い。
　感染した場合、頭痛や発熱、悪寒といった、インフルエンザやデング熱感染と似たような症状が出る。症状が重ければ肝臓や腎臓に障害がもたらされる。
　同州では大雨が続き、川が氾濫し各地が冠水。泥にも覆われ、不衛生な状況となっている。
　これまでにレプトスピラ症感染死を除き１６９人が死亡。５３人が依然、行方不明となっている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/05/29-16:53）

Brazilian authorities on Tuesday reported an increase in cases of leptospirosis, a bacterial disease transmitted by rats, in the flooded south, parts of which have been under water for a month.
According to the latest figures from the Rio Grande do Sul State Health Secretariat, five people are confirmed to have died from the disease, while another nine deaths are being investigated.
Authorities have recorded 124 cases, and are verifying 922 others.
The state of Rio Grande do Sul has been battered by rain for weeks, and flooded rivers have transformed the streets of towns and cities into putrid, murky rivers.
The latest official figures, excluding leptospirosis deaths, show that 169 people have died and 53 are still missing.
Some 600,000 people have been displaced.
Leptospirosis is spread via the urine of infected animals, such as rodents and livestock, which contaminates soil or water. The bacteria can survive for weeks, and outbreaks in humans often take place after heavy rain or flooding.
Symptoms can appear from two days to four weeks after exposure, and are similar to that of the flu or dengue, such as headaches, fever and chills.
More serious cases can affect the liver or kidneys.
Brazilian authorities have set up a laboratory to test for suspected cases, and have implemented a vast social media prevention campaign.
Have you been digging in the mud or walking through flood water and have symptoms of leptospirosis? Go to a health post, said Arita Bergmann, health secretary of Rio Grande do Sul, in a video on Instagram.
Treatment cannot wait, do not stay at home waiting for it to pass, because it can develop into a serious illness, she added.