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| Leptospirosis are transmitted to humans through the contact or ingestion of rat's urine |
A 42-year-old carpenter of Itogon was pronounced dead on October 16 at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) after being diagnosed of leptospirosis.
The victim had flu-like symptoms accompanied by weakness and paleness since October 1 to 13. This prompted him to seek medical consultation on October 13 at BGHMC.
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He was admitted but after only four days of hospitalization, he died.
The sister of the victim said her brother went to Philex, Ampucao on the second week of September. He worked as a carpenter of the Philex Mining Corporation. Prior to his death, the victim told his sister there are rodents around his working place at Philex.
Leptospirosis is a disease that can be transmitted through contact of the skin on mucous membrane with moist soil or vegetation and occasionally through drinking of water and ingestion of food contaminated with urine of infected animals, often rats, or through inhalation of droplet aerosols of contaminated fluids.
The Municipal Health Office received the report of the incident on October 17. The office then sent the Municipal Epidemiological Surveillance Unit (Mesu) to conduct an epidemiologic investigation to verify the report and to identify possible sources of the disease.
A descriptive study was done in Tuding where the victim resided. Results of the investigation together with the testimony of the sister of the victim revealed the case was derived from Philex, Ampucao, where the victim recently worked. The result was associated with the presence of rodents in the working place of the victim.
“Through our investigation, we realized leptospirosis doesn’t occur only in lowlands which are usually flooded but the disease can happen in any unsanitary places,” said Mesu officer Edwin Carantes.
He said “symptoms of leptospirosis do not manifest immediately. It is similar [to] dengue fever.”
Carantes said most of the residents don’t pay attention to the symptoms they are feeling. He cited flu-like symptom wherein residents of the town usually ignore, saying it as an ordinary fever only.
The Mesu is still clueless on the method of entry of the disease into the victim’s body because no autopsy was conducted on the victim.
Meanwhile, the Philex Corporation does not have a business permit yet because of the boundary disputes between the municipalities of Tuba and Itogon.
“The company claimed they were permitted to operate from Tuba so they said they don’t need to get another permit from our municipality. But then, they are operating within our jurisdiction, so that is our contention,” Mayor Oscar Camantiles said.
“We have to closely coordinate with Philex Corporation about the case. However, it is premature for us to account the testimony of the victim’s sister without further investigation,” Camantiles said.
The municipality through the Mesu will monitor further occurrence of the disease together with other illness like dengue and amoebiasis. - (SunStar / by Rubyloida Bitog)
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