Mysterious fever among children: Leptospirosis suspected

A mysterious infection which has affected several people, mostly children, in the past ten days in parts of this island was suspected to be leptospirosis an official heading a special team deputed to look into the problem said today.
"We strongly suspect it to be leptospirosis caused by rats. The infection would first spread from rat to domestic animals and from them to the people who were having animals in their house," K Sadhasivam of Hosur-based Institute of Vector Control and Zoonoses told reporters here.
Concerned about increasing number of cases of high fever, mostly among children and persisting for more than a week despite treatment, state Public Health department has deputed the team to examine the affected persons and find a solution.

Sadhasivam, who visited the affected areas along with Medical Officer of Mandapam Zone Ilayaraja, said the team would make house-to-house testing of the affected children. Blood samples would be sent for examination.
Some goats in the area were found to have been affected by leptospirosis, an infectious disease transmitted to humans from domestic animals, health officials said.