Key Points

Between January 1 and December 31, 2018: 104 indigenous cases of leptospirosis were reported, representing: - a reporting rate of 12 cases per 100,000 inhabitants - a majority of cases in the west and south of the island - an 80% increase compared to the 57 cases reported in 2017.

Leptospirosis is endemic in Réunion, with a higher number of reported cases in 2018, which can be explained by: - significant rainfall, particularly in the west and south of the island (+56% compared to 2017) - a concurrent dengue epidemic, which explains the increased testing for leptospirosis in the investigation of "dengue-like" syndromes—and the implementation of a multiplex PCR test specifically designed for simultaneous dengue/leptospirosis detection (Réunion University Hospital).

Risk assessment: Particularly from January to May, and especially in the presence of risk factors for leptospiral infection: diagnosis and management are a priority.