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Leptospirosis in Mesoamerica

  • Leptospirosis in Mesoamerica (M Garcia, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Leptospirosis is recognized as a globally re-emerging zoonosis. Despite historical evidence of this bacterial infection dating back centuries, very few studies have looked at the specific geographic distribution of historical leptospirosis outbreaks of public health importance in Mesoamerica. This article aims to review the pertinent outbreaks in this region, in an effort to influence future public health campaigns targeted at eradication.

Recent Findings

Mesoamerica is a geographical and culture area of the western hemisphere which has a uniform subtropical and tropical climate that covers since the middle part of Mexico, from its high plains, to the southern forest, and jungles extending to Central America to what is now known as Costa Rica. Leptospirosis is an infectious disease present in the people and fauna of Mesoamerica since many centuries, and an emergent illness nowadays. It is caused by bacteria of the genre Leptospira, which affects humans and domestic and wilds animals, causing multiples outbreaks in different countries of this region. Leptospirosis occurs in tropical and tempered regions and its incidence rise tenfold during the rainy season.

Summary

Leptospirosis, also known as Weil’s disease, porker’s disease, rice field fever, or cane fields fever, names that reflect the relevance of affected people activities. There are reports describing alike illness outbreaks in ancient civilizations in Mesoamerica: cocoliztli (Nahuatl word for pest) epidemic outbreaks registered in ancient Mexico (New Spain) from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries in impoverished indigenous communities after the conquest, were described with characteristics of leptospirosis, with fever, jaundice, and neurologic disorders.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Central Sur de Petróleos Mexicanos, Mexico City, Mexico

    Alejandro E. Svarch, Cesar Alejandro Arce-Salinas & Jose L. Amaya

Authors
  1. Alejandro E. Svarch
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  2. Cesar Alejandro Arce-Salinas
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  3. Jose L. Amaya
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Correspondence to Alejandro E. Svarch.

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Conflict of Interest

Alejandro E. Svarch, Cesar Alejandro Arce-Salinas, and Jose L. Amaya declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Leptospirosis in Mesoamerica

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Svarch, A.E., Arce-Salinas, C.A. & Amaya, J.L. Leptospirosis in Mesoamerica. Curr Trop Med Rep 4, 83–88 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40475-017-0105-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40475-017-0105-7

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