[Etiological structure and clinical epidemiological characteristics of Leptospira infection in Rostov Province based...

Changes in communal conditions, in economy, as well as in ecology and fauna, which took place in Rostov Province during the last decade (1973-1983) determined shifts in the etiological structure of Leptospira infection and in its course. The study revealed an increase in morbidity caused by L. icterohaemorrhagiae (up to 61%) and L. hebdomadis (up to 22%) with a simultaneous decrease in the isolation rate of L. grippotyphosa and L. pomona (up to 2-3%). In most cases (77%) the diseases caused by leptospires of different serogroups were found to take an icteric course accompanied by the development of hepatorenal insufficiency (46%). The similarity of clinical manifestations in different etiological forms of Leptospira infection was determined by common pathogenetic and pathophysiological features characteristic of the development of the leptospiral infectious process.