Background: Leptospirosis is the most widespread zoonosis in the world and is more prevalent in tropical and temperate regions. Guilan Province in north of Iran , is an endemic region of human leptospirosis. Since diagnosis of leptospirosis according to clinical symptoms is very difficult due to lack of characteristic pathogonomic sign(s), laboratory support is necessary.
Methods: In 2003, we obtained blood samples from patients hospitalized in main general hospitals of Guilan Province and were suspected as having leptospirosis ccording to their clinical presentations. We examined 995 sera by a commercial IgM and IgG ELISA kit to find positive cases.
Results: 62.7% of positive cases were male and about 86% of them were farmer. High distribution rate of leptospirosis was seen in middle-aged people (65% in 20-50 years old).
Conclusion: It seems that leptospirosis has a high occurrence in major cities and is mostly distributed in warm months of the year. Demographic analysis of the results indicates that leptospirosis is typically a rural and an occupational disease in the area.