Leptospirosis Threat in Hurricane Katrina Affected Areas

Following Hurricane Katrina, Dr. Kenneth Harkin, an expert on leptospirosis, commented on the survival of leptospires in various conditions. While he suspects that the immediate area of New Orleans would be at lower risk for leptospirosis, Harkin believes the greater risk areas are those flooded but not contaminated with sewage and chemicals.

The presence of sewage, in some flooded areas like New Orleans, decreases the survival of the organisms in the water. Areas that saw a lot of rain, even if they didn't get substantial flooding, would be at a higher risk as well.

The majority of his research on the correlation between flooding and the spread of leptospirosis was related to foreign countries. He found that in Thailand leptospirosis ranked just behind Dengue fever in one disease outbreak following flooding. In Puerto Rico in 1996, the prevalence of leptospirosis jumped four-fold in Dengue-negative patients following a Hurricane. Harkin also found that Hurricane Mitch in Nicaragua did not seem to have a significant impact on leptospirosis.

Dr. Kenneth Harkin is an associate professor at Kansas State University, where he has been on staff since 1997. He received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1989 from Iowa State University. His research interests include infectious disease, with an emphasis on leptospirosis, canine dysautonomia, perianal fistula of dogs and chronic canine liver disease. His work includes improving the diagnosis of leptospirosis, evaluating the zoonotic risk associated with infected dogs and investigating pathogenic mechanisms of leptospiral infections. He is currently the faculty advisor to the student chapters of the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Animal Hospital Association and American Association of Feline Practitioners.

To learn more about the effects of flooding, see the sources cited below:

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