Leptospirosis is associated with a broad spectrum of severity, ranging from subclinical or mild illness to severe disease, manifesting as fever, myalgia, conjunctival suffusion and gastrointestinal issues. File
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The story so far: Leptospirosis is a tropical zoonotic disease — bacterial systemic infection caused by pathogenic Leptospira — which is highly integrated with an environment in which both humans and animals thrive. The disease, which began to be reported in Kerala since 1989, has been endemic in the State for the past three decades or more and has now become the communicable disease with the highest mortality profile.
Leptospirosis is reported throughout the year in Kerala but the cases and mortality begin surging with the arrival of the southwest monsoon. For the past three years, the State has been consistently reporting around 5,000 cases and close to 400 deaths (including confirmed and probable) every year. Leptospirosis is yet again in focus now, as the disease has claimed 50 lives just in the month of July this year.
Published – August 01, 2026 01:46 pm IST
