Risk Factors Associated with Leptospirosis in Si Sa Ket Province, Thailand

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to describe the environmental and occupational risk factors associated with human leptospirosis in Si Sa Ket. Methods: Secondary data during the 2017-2021 from the 506-surveillance report of leptospirosis to the Sisaket Provincial Public Health Office and the National Disease Surveillance System at Bureau of Epidemiology, Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand. We conducted a matched case-control study in Si Sa Ket from January 2021 to December 2021. 64 cases and 128 controls were included in this study. Risk factors were identified by multivariate logistic regression. Results: The incidence of leptospirosis during the 2017-2021 period was 28.75 per 100,000 population. Seasonal variation was observed, with the highest incidence during the rainy season from August to October. Adults aged 45-54 years had the highest incidence rate. There 73.2% of the cases worked in the agricultural sector. The outcome showed the risk factors of leptospirosis associated with working in the water area without wearing boots (adjOR=2.97, 95%CI=1.38-6.40), wounded (adjOR=3.94, 95%CI=1.26-12.30) and stay long times (adjOR=2.31, 95%CI=1.02-5.24). Conclusions: To reduce the leptospirosis burden and enhanced surveillance is required to understand the epidemiology and the risk factors of leptospirosis.