Doctor's Explanation About Causes And Treatment Of Increasing Rat Urinary Disease Cases

JAKARTA - Management of the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) Semarang Branch Dr dr. Muchlis Achsan Udji Sofro SpPD KPTI MKM FINASIM revealed the causes to the right treatment for leptospirosis/commonly called rat urine, which recently has been increasing in cases in several regions in Indonesia.

According to Muchlis, the cause of leptospirosis that can be experienced by humans is a bacterium called Leptospira interrogans and it usually occurs in areas prone to flooding or has stagnant water, such as rice fields.

"Besides that, it is also common for people whose hygiene (cleanliness) is not maintained, such as rarely washing their hands, having open wounds that are not treated, especially chapped skin," he said as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, March 8.

Muchlis said the Leptospira bacteria can infect humans through animals, especially rats.

The bacteria is spread through rat urine and moves to puddles or floods, which eventually causes humans to experience Leptospirosis.

Head of the Division of Infectious Diseases KSM Internal Medicine RSUP Dr. Kariadi Semarang said that the common symptoms experienced by patients with mild leptospirosis are high fever, headaches, and muscle aches.

However, for patients with acute leptospirosis, the infection can usually occur in other important organs of the body, characterized by bleeding such as bleeding gums or coughing up blood and yellowing of the skin.

This disease generally infects adults considering that the mobility of adults in flood conditions is higher than that of children, so the potential for infection is also greater.

Muchlis said that for treatment, if someone experiences the symptoms mentioned, it is better to consult a doctor immediately.

"Treatment of leptospirosis in mild or moderate conditions is 85 percent very easy, enough antibiotics are given doxycycline and amoxicillin. For seven days the treatment is complete," said Muchlis.

However, people who are declared to have acute leptospirosis, they will receive special treatment at the hospital with ceftriaxone injection.

Because usually acute leptospirosis can cause other damage to important organs such as the heart (myocarditis), liver (hepatitis), to the kidneys.

If not treated properly leptospirosis can cause death.

As a preventive measure for this disease, Muchlis suggested especially for people in flood-prone areas to continue to maintain cleanliness.

In Indonesia, based on data compiled by the Ministry of Health, in December 2022 there were 1,408 cases of leptospirosis, 139 of whom were declared dead.

Several areas with high case rates during this period included Central Java with 502 cases and a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of around 13.94 percent.

Then East Java reached 401 cases with a CFR of 3.49 percent, there was also the Special Region of Yogyakarta with 235 cases and a CFR of 5.53 percent.

Followed by West Java with 187 cases and a CFR of 16.04 percent, and Banten with 64 cases with a CFR of 18.75 percent.