Infect Chemother.  2019 Sep;51(3):315-329. 10.3947/ic.2019.51.3.315.

Historical Review of Leptospirosis in the Korea (1945 – 2015)

• Kim MJ

• KMID: 2459048
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3947/ic.2019.51.3.315

Abstract

Leptospirosis is a widespread worldwide zoonosis. Human leptospirosis was first identified in the Korea in 1984 as the cause of "epidemic pulmonary hemorrhagic fever of unknown etiology" that occurred sporadically or in outbreaks. The major outbreaks, leading to some deaths, mainly involved rice field farmers who worked in wet and muddy rice paddies following floods or heavy rainfalls. Leptospirosis was designated a nationally notifiable disease in 1987. The Korean government introduced a supplementary immunization program to control the disease from 1988 to 1997, which provided people at risk in endemic areas with the inactivated vaccine prepared from a local strain Leptospira interrogans serovar Lai. In addition, the continuous promotion of education and awareness in the media played a role in improving personal hygiene management. Since then, the reported incidence of leptospirosis has been low. Leptospirosis is currently considered in the differential diagnosis of acute febrile illnesses occurring in fall. This study historically reviews clinical and epidemiological publications, scientific reports, and public health policies for recognition, identification, and infection control of human leptospirosis in the Korea.

Keyword

Leptospira; Leptospirosis; Korea; Communicable diseases; History

MeSH Terms

Communicable Diseases
Diagnosis, Differential
Disease Outbreaks
Education
Farmers
Fever
Floods
Humans
Hygiene
Immunization Programs
Incidence
Infection Control
Korea*
Leptospira
Leptospira interrogans
Leptospirosis*
Public Health
Serogroup

Figure

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  Figure 1 Annual number of reported cases of leptospirosis and incidence per 100,000 population (1987 – 2015).

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  Figure 2 The epidemic curve of cases with leptospirosis following a flood in Chunbuk and Chunnam area of the 1987 epidemic, Korea (Adapted from Proceedings of Leptospirosis Research Conference 1990).

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