Leptospirosis, water sports and chemoprophylaxis

Recreational activities, such as water sports and adventure travel, are emerging as an important risk factor for lepto-spirosis, a potentially fatal zoonosis. We report the clinical course of 2 patients who acquired leptospirosis through par-ticipation in water sports. Physicians caring for patients who participate in adventure travel involving water sports should be familiar with the risk factors for and diagnosis, preven-tion, and treatment of leptospirosis. Recreational activities, such as water sports and adventure travel, are emerging as an important risk factor for leptospirosis [1]. There is the potential for large outbreaks of leptospirosis when these recreational activities are part of organized com-petitions. Leptospirosis, a common zoonosis throughout the world, has a higher prevalence in tropical regions, especially following periods of heavy rainfall [2]. Because of the increased participation of individuals in adventure travel and in recrea-tional activities in tropical locations, it is imperative that travel physicians assess risk factors for leptospirosis and consider mea-sures for the prevention of this potentially fatal disease. The 2 patients with leptospirosis who we describe in this report were competitors in the Eco-Challenge Sabah 2000 com-petition, which took place in Malaysian Borneo from 21 Augus