Leptospirosis among Royal Thai Army personnel participating in humanitarian aid missions during the 2011 major flooding Thailand

Abstract

NNowadays, flooding is one of the most frequent disasters worldwide. In 2011, Thailand was affected by flooding which caused devastating damages in terms of expenditure and health. In Thailand, the Royal Thai Armed Forces were usually responsible for providing humanitarian assistances in every disaster including this flooding. Leptospirosis outbreaks often occur after major flooding globally. In order to prepare for further upcoming flooding, we conducted a total survey of incidence and prevention measures of leptospirosis during the flooding among a military unit participating in the 2011 flooding humanitarian assistance. The questionnaires included job description during humanitarian aid, protective behavior, symptoms, and illnesses of leptospirosis. Moreover, the participants were tested for leptospira IgG and IgM using Indirect Immunofluorescence Assay technique. We found that the leptospirosis incidence among the study participants was 0%, which was comparable with other leptospirosis related studies (water samples and rodents) on this major flooding event in Thailand.