V. Lhomme et al., LEPTOSPIROSIS IN MARTINIQUE FROM 1987 TO 1992 - RESULTS OF AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC, CLINICAL AND BIOLOGICAL STUDY, Medecine et maladies infectieuses, 26(2), 1996, pp. 94-98
Leptospirosis exists as an endemic disease in Martinique, as well. as
in all tropical regions. The observation, over six years, of the cases
identified by the microbiology laboratory of the Fort de France Hospi
tal, coupled to the data from the National Meteorology, makes it possi
ble to evidence the strong Link which exists between rain-fall and the
incidence of leptospirosis. The mean annual frequency over six years
is of 6.3 per 100.000 inhabitants, i, e. 12 times that of the Metropol
e. In 1991, this rate reaches 11,7 per 100.000. The observed lethality
is of 9%. The predominant serovars are ictero-haemorrhagiae (ictero-h
aemorrhagiae and copenhageni) (49%), panama (10%) and pyrogenes (9%).
The symptomatology is identical to that classically described in the l
iterature.