Leptospirosis|Leptospirosis usually does not come as a mild disease, but typically presents as a severe febrile illness, says THL chief physician Leif Lakoma. Entrepreneur Pete Herranen fell ill with a severe disease at the turn of the 21st century.
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Pete Herranen contracted leptospirosis in Mexico at the turn of the 21st century.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that can even cause a fatal general infection.
In Finland, 66 cases of leptospirosis have been identified between 1995 and 2024, the latest in 2016.
Leptospirosis is typically transmitted by indirect contact from an infected animal.
High fever, severe pain, blurred consciousness, blurred vision. Such symptoms entrepreneur Pete Herranen experienced on his trip to Mexico at the turn of the 2000s when he contracted leptospirosis.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease in mammals that causes fatigue and fever in mild cases, but can cause a general infection leading to death in the worst case.
The memory came back to Herranen’s mind when HS reported on leptospirosis infections in dogs having raised his head in southern Finland.
“The disease was without a doubt more violent than the usual flu. I lay on the bottom of the bed for three weeks. Tolkku was completely gone.”
Gentleman had traveled to Cancún, Mexico to attend a seminar with a colleague. The first symptoms came a couple of days after arrival, when the two were leaving the restaurant.
“When I got up from the table, I felt like I couldn’t stay upright. We got back to the hotel, and I didn’t move anywhere during the whole week.”
At the hotel, the nurse took samples every day, but Herranen never got to know their results. According to him, the hotel’s American doctor was of the opinion after a week that he is not in the condition to fly back to Finland.
“However, I told my colleague to make sure you include me. I am forever grateful to him for not leaving me there.”
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“I was told that I was lucky, because the disease can be fatal.”
Gentleman didn’t remember anything about the return trip after arriving in Finland. Everything was a blur, he recalls.
After being sick for a total of three weeks, Herranen was healthy again. He was invited for antibody tests after about half a year.
“After the antibody tests, I was told that it was precisely leptospirosis. I was told that I was lucky, because the disease can be fatal.”
Herranen is not sure where he contracted the disease. Perhaps it was a restaurant’s poorly washed salad or the steep steps of the Chichen Itza pyramid, which had to be climbed also with the help of hands.
“I was wondering if I caught a bug in my hands on the stairs. After climbing, I ate ice cream with my hands.”
It’s been a while since the incident, which is why Herras doesn’t have a record of the diagnosis.
Leptospirosis is a rare disease that Finns often get when traveling abroad, says THL’s chief physician Leif Lakoma.
A total of 66 cases of leptospirosis have been diagnosed in Finland between 1995 and 2024. The latest one is from 2016, Lakoma says.
The symptom picture of leptospirosis is very variable, but usually the disease is not asymptomatic or even mild, Lakoma says. It typically presents as a severe febrile illness.
Leptospira, the bacterium that causes the disease, can be found all over the world. Typically, the infection is acquired from an infected animal through indirect contact, Lakoma says.
“Fresh water may contain the urine of a sick animal, from which bacteria may enter the human body through broken skin. The world thinks that adventure tourism and water sports in the tropics have slightly increased infections.”
Globally tens of thousands of people die from the disease every year, especially in tropical regions.
More and more cases have also appeared in New York. In 2017, two people died from leptospirosis infection from a pet dog, which the dog had caught after grabbing a rat from the street.
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