[Seroepidemiological study of human leptospirosis at Reunion Island]

In order to evaluate the prevalence of human leptospirosis in Reunion island and to identify possible risk factors, a study was realised on a representative population sample of 3.338 persons. The prevalence of leptospirosis, diagnosed by ELISA and confirmed by Micro Agglutination Test, was 1.1%. Male predominance and higher prevalence in rainy parts of the island, were confirmed. It has not been possible to display risk factors such as housing conditions or professional exercise. The serological repartition showed not only icterohaemorrhagiae serovar, but also canicola, panama and sejroe, especially in women. These results, compared with clinical studies (showing nearly exclusive male repartition, in agricultural workers, due to icterohaemorrhagiae serovar), confirm the double look of human leptospirosis in Reunion island: clinical leptospirosis, severe, concerning males, often countrymen, due to icterohaemorrhagiae serovar, and infraclinical leptospirosis, concerning principally females, which is a domestic illness, due to other serovars.