Possible hospital transmission of leptospiral infection.

Leptospirosis is a major zoonotic disease which affects all domestic and wild animals and also human beings throughout the world. Transmission from animal to man is common, with man being the dead end. In hospital environment there is always a possibility of transmission from patient to hospital staff who handle leptospirosis cases and biological material for laboratory diagnosis. 328 clinically suspected cases recorded during 1991-95 in Govt. General Hospital, Chennai were studied for evidence of leptospiral infection among hospital contacts like nurses and laboratory workers. The results of this study are reported here.