Leptospirosis in Taiwan, 2001–2006

Sample size: 7733 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Chou Yu-Ling, Chen Chang-Shun, Liu Cheng-Chung

Primary Institution: Centers for Disease Control, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

Is there a relationship between leptospirosis incidence and rainfall pattern in Taiwan?

The study suggests an association between the amount of rainfall and the incidence of leptospirosis in Taiwan.

Of 7,733 suspected human cases of leptospirosis, 291 cases were confirmed.
The mean annual incidence was 0.21 cases/100,000 population.
Cases were more common in males (83.5%) and in those aged 25–74 years.
Heavy rains were followed by an increase in laboratory-confirmed cases of leptospirosis.
June–October accounted for 60% of cases, with a higher incidence of 0.022–0.028 cases/100,000 population.

Leptospirosis is a disease that can spread when it rains a lot, and in Taiwan, more rain means more cases of this disease.

The study analyzed reported cases of leptospirosis and rainfall data from 2001 to 2006, confirming cases through serologic testing.

The study does not conclusively document the reasons for lower incidence of leptospirosis in Taiwan compared to other tropical countries.

The majority of confirmed cases were male (83.5%) and most common in individuals aged 25–74 years.

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