Leptospirosis is a sickness caused by the Leptospira bacteria. The sickness is found around the world, but is most common in tropical areas, like Australia. People get the disease by coming into contact with urine from an infected animal. Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease, which means that it can spread between animals and people.
This fact sheet was developed by students in Macquarie University’s 2022 Medical Sciences Capstone/PACE subject major industry partnership project. The following references were provided by the students who developed the fact sheet:
Animal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities (AMRRIC). 2022. Zoonoses Fact Sheet. Leptospirosis. Available at: https://www.amrric.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Zoonoses-Fact-Sheet-Leptospirosis_0.pdf. Accessed on October 21, 2022.
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). Leptospirosis. 2022. Available at: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/agriculture-land/animal/health/laboratories/procedures/anzsdp/leptospirosis. Accessed on October 21, 2022.
Healthdirect. Search Results for Leptospirosis. Available at: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/search-results/Leptospirosis. Accessed on October 21, 2022.
NSW Health. 2022. Leptospirosis Fact Sheet. Available at: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/leptospirosis.aspx#:~:text. Accessed on October 21, 2022.
Tasmanian Government Department of Health. 2022. Leptospirosis Fact Sheet. Tasmanian Government Department of Health. Available at: https://www.health.tas.gov.au/publications/leptospirosis-fact-sheet. Accessed on: October 21, 2022.
