Leptospira Wolffii Identified in Deadly Outbreaks Across Assam and Sikkim
ICMR confirmation of the rare strain has prompted experts to call for strengthened diagnostics alongside integrated One Health surveillance
Overview
- ICMR-RMRC Dibrugarh investigations confirmed coinfection of Hepatitis A and Leptospira wolffii in a 2024 Goalpara district fever and jaundice outbreak
- Serological tests found leptospiral antibodies in over 40% of patients, many of whom had used uncovered well water and lived alongside livestock
- Eleven fatalities in Assam were recorded during the Goalpara outbreak while a recent Sikkim death marked the Eastern Himalayas' first fatal human case of L. wolffii
- Genetic sequencing linked Indian strains to variants in Bangladesh and Bhutan, indicating potential cross-border spread
- Recommended interventions include weekly doxycycline prophylaxis for high-risk adults, azithromycin for pregnant women and children, and enhanced water and sanitation measures in flood-prone areas