Summary

Analysis of data from early 2018 (January 1 to March 20) reveals an unusual epidemiological pattern for leptospirosis in Réunion:

• the number of cases reported during the first three months of the year is particularly high.

• the geographic distribution of cases differs from previous years: the south is particularly affected, the north and west are stable, and the east is less affected.

• The main risk exposures identified are gardening/animal husbandry at home, cleaning the yard, swimming and fishing in freshwater, hunting for tangs, and to a lesser extent, occupations identified as high-risk.

The lack of protection during activities considered high-risk, and/or insufficient wound care and disinfection during these activities may partly explain the infections. This high number of cases compared to previous years may be linked to the heavy rains and unusual weather events at the start of the year, which particularly impacted the south and west of the island.