Leptospirosis in rural Ghana

J4

Tropical and Gcogr aphical fvlcdicinc

t67

LE,I''I'OSPIROSIS IN ITURN L GIIN NA ll.V. IIOGEI{ZIrll-r,

W..1.

tAgogo I los pital, (ilra na, n rnstcrdarn,

fIl(t'Sl'Rn

IW II

2

and A. DE GI]USr and

ll.

KOI(VEIL2

O/ FA O Collaborating Ccrrtre for Reference and llcscarch on l-eptospirosis, l lre Ncthcr-

lDcptrtlncnt of -I'ropital llygicnc of the Royal -l'ropical lnstitute, Antstcrdam,

la nds

llcccivcd Jnnuary 20,

1984

Acccptcd Ior publication .luly 9,

1985

Abstract.In a rvct forcst arca of GIrana a scrological survey of antibodics agaillst 24 lcptospira strains was carricd out; 460 scra were obtained, of which l5l (3196) wctc prtsitive. Iluslt [nrrtrcrs alld cocoa plantation labourers showed 39% positive rcactiol)s an6 cal bc idcrrtified as lrigh-risk groups. A reactivity rate of l4?6 rvas [otrttd antottg students, hospital staff anrl clcrical occupations. No difference *'as obscrvcd bctv.cen nralcs ancl fcnralcs, probably bccause botlr sexcs are cqually exposcd. Cross-rcactivity

to diffcrcnt serovars \\'as cotntt.tolt. Ke,r' rlord.r: lcptospirosis; occupational risk; Ghana

In t ro du cti on

I-eptospirosis is probabll, tlte most inrportant z.oiinosis I l] and has been rcportc