Urgent medical attention is needed if you have persistent vomiting, have dark urine or pass much less urine than usual, or if your eyes turn yellow. Doctors can only be certain that a patient has leptospirosis by having laboratory tests made. These tests are not available in all the islands of the Caribbean. However, in those places where tests are made the disease is known to be quite common, so it is likely that it is common on the other islands where the tests are not available. Leptospirosis and dengue fever both occur in the rainy season and it may be impossible to tell which disease you have without the special blood tests.
Animals pass on leptospirosis Many types of animal can harbour leptospires.
However, other animals can also do this, so even if there are no rodents on your premises you can still catch leptospirosis. You can get it from urine passed by your cow or sheep, any other domestic animal, or even from toads, mongooses and other wild animals. Dogs commonly carry leptospirosis. They are extremely hazardous to man because of their close association with people and their insanitary habits. In particular , infants crawling on the floor or in the yard, or playing with the animals, may become infected through contact with their urine.