Serological Study For Measuring Rate of Leptospirosis in Patients Who Encountered “Shaltook Fever”

In guilan province, near the end of spring and summer each year at the time of ricegathering, some of the farmers run high fevers. this disease is named as “shaltook fever” (paddy orhusked rice fever) in the region. review of literature showed outbreak of leptospirosis between ricefarmers in italy and spain. we decided to measure antibody levels (igm and igg) against leptospirosisin patients with shaltook fever. samples were chosen from any patient who was diagnosed as shaltookfever by health care clinics between end of spring and summer of 2002 in guilan province. patientsshould have fever above 38° c, with myalgia and history of recent work at rice fields. all otherdiagnosis for these patients should have been ruled out by clinical or laboratory investigations.antibodies levels were measured by elisa method. igm was measured in 87 out of 100 serum samplesand igg was measured in 84 out of 87 of above serum samples. in 26 samples igm anti leptospira werepositive (igm > 20 u/ml), and 5 specimens were borderline (igm = 15-20 u/ml). in measuring igg, 10samples were positive (igg > 9 u/ml), and 13 samples were borderline (igg = 5-9 u/ml). the abovefindings were suggestive of acute leptospirosis infection in 30% of shaltook fever patients. it is ofinterest that in only 17 out of 26 positive samples for igm positive igg titers were observed. it could beconcluded that these patients had, for the first time recently, encountered the disease.