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Absence of epidemicity of severe leptospirosis in Barbados

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

S. Bennett  and
C. O. R. Everard
S. Bennett
Affiliation:
Tropical Health Epidemiology Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel St, London WC1E 7HT, UK
C. O. R. Everard
Affiliation:
Leptospira Laboratory, Enmore 2, Lower Collymore Rock, St Michael, Barbados
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Summary

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The possibility of micro-epidemics of severe leptospirosis occurring on the island of Barbados was investigated by examining the space-time clustering of the disease in 212 laboratory-confirmed cases admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Bridgetown, over a 7-year period. A series of 109 patients with symptoms compatible with leptospirosis but shown to be otherwise by laboratory examination were also examined for comparison. No significant space-time clustering was found among the leptospirosis cases, indicating no evidence for micro-epidemics. By comparison, statistically significant clustering was apparent among the smaller non-leptospirosis series. Possible explanations for the absence of observed micro-epidemics of leptospirosis are discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 106 , Issue 1 , February 1991 , pp. 151 - 156
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

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