The recent floods have led to an increasing number of leptospirosis and melioidosis cases from Jan 1 until 18, said the Health Ministry.

   

Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said 647 leptospirosis suspected cases were reported, of which 110 cases were confirmed infection.

  

A total of 49 confirmed cases were reported in Kelantan and Terengganu (26 cases), Perak (21 cases) and Pahang (14 cases).

   

"Two volunteers from Terengganu and Malacca infected with leptospirosis were allowed to go home after receiving treatment in hospital,"  he said in a statement.

   

Dr Noor Hisham said 20 melioidosis cases were reported with Pahang having the most with 13 cases folowed by Kelantan (five), Perak (one) and Johor (one).

    

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease (a contagious disease from animals to humans) caused by the Leptospira bacteria.

   

People can get infected when exposed to water, food, or soil contaminated with urine of infected animals such as rats, cats, dogs, cows, goats, pigs,horse and other animals.

   

Signs of infection include high fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, vomiting, jaundice, eye inflammation, stomach pain, diarrhoea, cough and rashes on the skin.

   

Melioidosisis is a disease caused by the Burkholderia Pseudomallei bacteria that reside on the water and soil surface.

   

Infection can occur when directly exposed to soil and water supply contaminated with the bacteria.

   

It often occurs during the monsoon or the rainy season.

   

Those infected with melioidosis will show several symptoms including wound on the skin that can cause ulcers, nodules, abscess on the skin, fever and muscle pain.

   

Leptospirosis and melioidosis can be treated with certain antibiotics to avoid complications that can cause death.

- Bernama