:-)

Portuguese term (edited): leptospirose

Leptospirose -
Leptospirose. A leptospirose é uma doença infecciosa aguda causada pela
bactéria Leptospira interrogans, transmitida pela urina de ratos. ...
www.fiocruz.br/ccs/glossario/leptospirose.htm -

More hits with this spelling, although within the first example below the spelling options seem to be used interchangably

Leptosperosis Two types of leptospirosis infections can affect humans
in the UK. ... Leptosperosis is much less severe if treated promptly. ...
www.bonaccordpestcontrol.co.uk/ bon_accord_pest_control_leptospirosis.htm - 4k - Resultado suplementar

... It is very important that all vaccines be given including the following: For dogs,
DHLP-P (canine distemper, hepatitis, leptosperosis, parainfluenza and ...
www.worldkennelclub.com/vet.html - 6k -

... Keep your pets' vaccinations up to date. Dogs and cats can get rabies or
syphilis-like leptosperosis, both of which can be transmitted to humans. ...
www.metrodirect.net/petsitter/ - 19k

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Note added at 1 hr 0 min (2004-06-16 22:13:23 GMT)
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... Rats are a major hazard to health. They spread many forms of disease such as Leptosperosis
(Weil¹s Disease), Salmonella food poisoning, Typhus, Trichinosis ...
www.scambs.gov.uk/scambs/council.nsf/pages/rats.html - 17k - 14 Jun 2004

... Mice. Mice Significance Many people do not consider mice to be harmful, however,
like rats they are carriers of disease including Leptosperosis (Weils Disease). ...
www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/.../textpages/mice. html?opendocument&Start=1&Count=1000&ExpandView - 101

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Note added at 1 hr 2 mins (2004-06-16 22:15:36 GMT)
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... Rats are a major hazard to health. They spread many forms of disease such as Leptosperosis
(Weil¹s Disease), Salmonella food poisoning, Typhus, Trichinosis ...
www.scambs.gov.uk/scambs/council.nsf/pages/rats.html - 17k - 14 Jun 2004

... Mice. Mice Significance Many people do not consider mice to be harmful, however,
like rats they are carriers of disease including Leptosperosis (Weils Disease). ...
www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/.../textpages/mice. html?opendocument&Start=1&Count=1000&ExpandView - 101

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Note added at 7 hrs 31 mins (2004-06-17 04:43:50 GMT)
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After going further research based on Muriel\'s observations, I concur that \"leptospirosis\" indeed seems to be more technically correct.

Here is some info on the bacteria that cause the disease:

\"Leptospires are aerobic spirochetes whose cells are flexulous, motile, tightly coiled and have a single axial filament. Some are pathogenic, though others are harmless freshwater saprophytes\"

Here is a definition of the disease:

What is leptospirosis?

Leptospirosis, also known as canicola fever, hemorrhagic jaundice, infectious jaundice, mud fever, spirochetal jaundice, swamp fever, swineherd\'s disease, caver\'s flu or sewerman\'s flu, is a bacterial infection resulting from exposure to the Leptospira interrogans bacterium. There is an acute form of human infection known as Weil\'s Disease, where the patient suffers from jaundice, though this term is often (incorrectly) used to describe any case of infection. Weil\'s Disease is comparatively rare, though \'mild\' cases of leptospirosis are surprisingly common across the globe.

http://www.leptospirosis.org/