Leptospirosis is a disease caused by a group of bacteria called leptospires.
These enter the body through abraded skin, mouth, or eyes, and they are passed out in the urine. If they are passed onto damp soil or into water they can survive for a while until they enter another animal or human body. Because leptospires like warm wet conditions, the disease is common in tropical countries. You may have heard of leptospirosis under another name such as 'black jaundice' or 'Weil's Disease'. Anybody can get leptospirosis Anyone who comes into contact with infected urine, or soil or water contaminated with infected urine, can get leptospirosis.