Leptospirosis, transmitted by rat urine, is on the rise in NYC, health officials warn

Published Apr 12, 2024 at 10:35 p.m. ET

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Published Apr 12, 2024 at 10:35 p.m. ET

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Local cases of the infectious disease leptospirosis, which in New York City is largely associated with exposure to rat urine, are continuing to trend upward, the city’s health department warned in an advisory on Friday.

The city recorded 24 leptospirosis cases in 2023, its highest number in a single year, according to health officials. That’s compared to just three cases per year on average between 2001 and 2020. So far this year, six cases have been reported.

The disease made headlines two years ago, after several dogs were said to have possibly died from leptospirosis they might have caught at the McCarren Park dog run in Williamsburg. While cases of human leptospirosis remain relatively rare in the five boroughs, it can lead to a variety of symptoms, including fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, vomiting and diarrhea.

People can become sick with leptospirosis for two days to four weeks after exposure, the health department said. If left untreated, patients can experience severe illness, such as kidney failure, meningitis, liver damage and respiratory distress. The incubation period usually takes between five days and two weeks.

Leptospirosis is caused by a bacteria in the urine of infected animals, and in New York, that mostly means rats. Transmission happens when people come into contact with contaminated rat urine. It can also occur through contact with contaminated water, soil or food that enters the body via open wounds or mucous membranes in the eyes, mouth or nose.

According to health officials, local cases of human leptospirosis typically arise from residential or occupational exposure to rat urine, including when people handle trash bags or bins. Direct transmission between people is rare.

Still, the health department advises New Yorkers to avoid places where rats may have urinated. For those who can’t, or have to clean such areas, officials recommend using gloves and a solution that’s one part bleach and 10 parts water, as well as washing one’s hands with soap.

The department’s notice on Friday urged medical professionals to “consider leptospirosis in any patient presenting with compatible illness, especially when there is evidence of acute renal and hepatic failure, and possibly pulmonary hemorrhage.” Providers should find out if patients have recently visited tropical or subtropical areas, and run tests to rule out the disease, officials said.

Leptospirosis is usually treated with antibiotics, such as doxycycline or penicillin, and treatment should begin as soon as possible after exposure, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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