Blood and urine tests conducted on people, rats
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Following the public's concern over the possibility of postflood diseases, most notably the dreaded leptospirosis outbreak throughout the capital, the Jakarta administration began implementing a series of blood and urine tests on people and rats in high risk locations.
The testing is the administration's campaign to eradicate rats in certain neighborhoods.
Section head of epidemiology surveillance at the City Health Agency, Paripurna H.S., said on Sunday that the urine and blood tests had taken place in 13 locations where the disease, which had killed nine people recently, was found.
"People living in within a 200-meter radius from the locations where the disease was found are our main target. We have to check if they have been infected by the bacterium or not," he said.
As of Sunday, 29 people had been found in Jakarta to be infected with the slender aerobic spirochete which can be primarily found in pigs, dogs and rats and is transferred quite easily during floods. Depending on the type of disease the symptoms may include high fever, vomiting, headache or irritated eyes. The average incubation period of the parasite is 10 days once it enters a host.
Governor Sutiyoso had announced earlier that the disease sufferers would receive free medical treatment.
The need for conducting blood and urine tests on the rats is to determine if they are indeed responsible for the outbreak.
After the administration's declaration of war many people began to catch rats using rattraps provided to each house in three community units of Kampung Bali subdistrict in Central Jakarta on Saturday evening before the agency began conducting the tests on Sunday.
The agency has been concentrating the tests in Central Jakarta -- covering Palmerah, Petamburan and Bendungan Hilir subdistricts -- and West Jakarta -- in Kapuk, Kedaung Kaliangke, Kota Bambu, Jati Pulo and Cengkareng Barat subdistricts -- where most of the cases of the disease were found.
The blood and urine samples will later be taken to a laboratory in Bogor, West Java, for examination.
Despite the implementation of the tests, doctors in public health centers have been urged to stay alert for people with symptoms of high fever, vomiting, headaches or bloodshot eyes.
"Should there be people with such complaints, the doctors must suspect that they are infected by leptospirosis and need early help," said Paripurna, adding that patients will be given antibiotics.
The agency will also continue its supervision in prone areas and will disseminate appropriate information to the public about the diseases and the mechanism of how it infects the people.
Paripurna called on the people to keep their houses clean. He also urged everyone, especially those who do not use modern utensils, to stay hygienic by thoroughly washing their hands before eating or preparing food.
"The leptospire bacteria can stay alive for weeks in standing water or mud even after its host has died. Therefore, people working in such places must be careful as the bacteria can enter the body through mucous membranes or open wounds," he said.
Paripurna said there were 170 species of leptospire bacteria each of which has different symptoms.