[Leptospirosis in Georgia].

The aim of the article was to study epidemiological patterns of leptospirosis in Georgia from 2001 to 2011. The investigation revealed that formal registration of the infection began in 1950s. Single cases were reported annually in the country with the exception of 1986, when water-borne outbreak broke out in Sukhumi with 21 detected cases. Low morbidity level of disease was reported during 2001-2005. Since 2006 significant increase of leptospirosis has been observed. The highest incidence was reported in 2011-1.81 per 100 000 population. The increase is likely to be mainly attributed to the improvements in diagnostics of the infection. Young and middle-age persons are more frequently vulnerable to leptospirosis in Georgia, 54.8% of the cases are reported among age group of 30-59. Incidence of the infection is the highest in males - 60-65% of the detected cases. In addition, leptospirosis is characterized by high case-fatality rate - 8.7 ± 3.6% (95% CI=5.7-11.7). Case fatality is especially high in persons over 60 and over reaching 24.3 ± 8.1%. Only single cases are observed in children under 14. In 21st century ethiological structure of leptospirosis has being changed somehow. By contrast, in the earlier period the disease was mainly caused by L. icterohaemorrhagiae and L.grippotyphosa, nowadays we encounter such causative agents which were not observed in 20th century - L. autunnalis, L. mankarso, L. wolffii and others. Water is mainly implicated as a risk factor in the infection transmission. Finally, to study of epidemiological characteristics of leptospirosis in Georgia, identified that, the infection is widely distributed in the country, has an increasing tendency and duration of the disease frequently is a severe.