钩端螺旋体病被视为世界范围内传播最广泛的人畜共患传染病。已在热带、亚热带和温带地区发现该疾病。热带地区的雨季以及温带地区的夏末为发病高峰期。[1]Levett P. Leptospirosis. In: Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Churchill Livingstone; 2006: 2495-2500.[8]Desai S, Van Treeck U, Lierz M, et al. Resurgence of field fever in a temperate country: an epidemic of leptospirosis among seasonal strawberry harvesters in Germany in 2007. Clin Infect Dis. 2009;48:691-697.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19193108?tool=bestpractice.com据估计,温带地区的年发病率为每 100,000 人 0.02-1.00 例,热带地区的年发病率为每 100,000 人 10-100 例。疫情爆发期间的发病率更高,为每 100,000 人 100 例。[7]Pavli A, Maltezou H. Travel-acquired leptospirosis. J Travel Med. 2008;15:447-453.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19090801?tool=bestpractice.com在美国,夏威夷的发病率最高。1992 年,估计的年发病率为每 100,000 人 128 例。致病性与非致病性菌株长期感染带菌动物的尿液。被感染的主要危险因素为直接或间接接触受感染动物的尿液。接触可能继发于职业性接触或因偶然接触到疫水。从动物到人类的直接传播在兽医、屠夫、养牛户和养猪户以及啮齿动物防控工作者中较为常见。越来越多的旅行者以及参加水上运动的运动员有患该疾病的风险。[18]Morgan J, Bornstein SL, Karpati AM, et al. Outbreak of leptospirosis among triathlon participants in community residents in Springfield, Illinois, 1998. Clin Infect Dis. 2002;34:1593-1599.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12032894?tool=bestpractice.com[19]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Brief report: Leptospirosis after flooding of a university campus - Hawaii, 2004. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2006;55:12.http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5505a2.htmhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16467778?tool=bestpractice.com[20]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Outbreak of leptospirosis among white-water rafters - Costa Rica, 1996. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 1997;46:577-579.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9214567?tool=bestpractice.com[21]Sejvar J, Bancroft E, Winthrop K, et al. Leptospirosis in "Eco-Challenge" athletes, Malaysian Borneo, 2000. Emerg Infect Dis. 2003;9:702-707.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12781010?tool=bestpractice.com[22]Lau C, Smythe L, Weinstein P. Leptospirosis: an emerging disease in travellers
Travel Med Infect Dis. 2010;8:33-39.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20188303?tool=bestpractice.com淡水游泳、漂流、划皮艇、划独木舟、钓鱼、打猎以及骑轻型摩托车是与钩端螺旋体病感染相关的活动。疫情与近期水灾及参与水上运动项目相关。[19]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Brief report: Leptospirosis after flooding of a university campus - Hawaii, 2004. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2006;55:12.http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5505a2.htmhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16467778?tool=bestpractice.com[20]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Outbreak of leptospirosis among white-water rafters - Costa Rica, 1996. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 1997;46:577-579.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9214567?tool=bestpractice.com[21]Sejvar J, Bancroft E, Winthrop K, et al. Leptospirosis in "Eco-Challenge" athletes, Malaysian Borneo, 2000. Emerg Infect Dis. 2003;9:702-707.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12781010?tool=bestpractice.com[23]Hunter PR. Climate change and waterborne and vector-borne disease. J Appl Microbiol. 2003;94:37s-46s.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12675935?tool=bestpractice.com[24]Sanders EJ, Rigau Perez JG, Smits HL, et al. Increase in leptospirosis in dengue-negative patients after a hurricane in Puerto Rico in 1996. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1999;61:399-404.http://www.ajtmh.org/cgi/reprint/61/3/399http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10497979?tool=bestpractice.com[25]Stern EJ, Galloway R, Shadomy SV, et al. Outbreak of leptospirosis among Adventure Race participants in Florida, 2005. Clin Infect Dis. 2010;50:843-849.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20146629?tool=bestpractice.com[26]Amilasan AS, Ujiie M, Suzuki M, et al. Outbreak of leptospirosis after flood, the Philippines, 2009. Emerg Infect Dis. 2012;18:91-94.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3310081/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22257492?tool=bestpractice.com此外,在过去 10 年的大型疫情中发现越来越多的钩端螺旋体病病例与淡水运动项目相关,尤其是暴雨和水灾之后。[7]Pavli A, Maltezou H. Travel-acquired leptospirosis. J Travel Med. 2008;15:447-453.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19090801?tool=bestpractice.com军事人员是在疫区高风险活动期间暴露于感染的另一群体。[7]Pavli A, Maltezou H. Travel-acquired leptospirosis. J Travel Med. 2008;15:447-453.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19090801?tool=bestpractice.com[27]Grambusch D, Hoedebecke KL. Unforeseen risk: leptospirosis and the US Special Operations community. J Spec Oper Med. 2012;12:36-42.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23032318?tool=bestpractice.com地理测绘已经发现在哥伦比亚的咖啡豆产区务农者存在职业暴露。[28]Garcia-Ramirez LM, Giraldo-Pulgarin JY, Agudelo-Marin N, et al. Geographical and occupational aspects of leptospirosis in the coffee-triangle region of Colombia, 2007-2011. Recent Pat Antiinfect Drug Discov. 2015;10:42-50.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25858306?tool=bestpractice.com实验室事故、输血及移植后感染的情况较少见。[29]Ansdell VE. Leptospirosis. In: John EC, Mc Mullen R. The travel and tropical medicine manual. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders; 2003:335-344.人与人之间的传播非常罕见。[30]Levett PN. Leptospirosis. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2001;14:296-326.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11292640?tool=bestpractice.com有些国家/地区已确定,在日常生活中赤脚走路会感染该疾病。[31]Yusti D, Arboleda M, Agudelo-Flórez P. Social and environmental risk factors associated with leptospirosis of inpatient and outpatient management, Turbo, Colombia. Biomedica. 2013;33:117-129.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24652256?tool=bestpractice.com
男性通常比女性更常被感染。[21]Sejvar J, Bancroft E, Winthrop K, et al. Leptospirosis in "Eco-Challenge" athletes, Malaysian Borneo, 2000. Emerg Infect Dis. 2003;9:702-707.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12781010?tool=bestpractice.com[23]Hunter PR. Climate change and waterborne and vector-borne disease. J Appl Microbiol. 2003;94:37s-46s.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12675935?tool=bestpractice.com[32]Jansen A, Stark K, Schneider T, et al. Sex differences in human leptospirosis in Germany: 1997-2005. Clin Infect Dis. 2007; 44:e69-e72.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17407027?tool=bestpractice.com[33]Rodríguez-Vidigal FF, Vera-Tomé A, Nogales-Muñoz N, et al. Leptospirosis in South-western Spain. Rev Clin Esp (Barc). 2014;214:247-252.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24703813?tool=bestpractice.com有些文献称,与女性相比,男性病情更严重。尚未观察到该疾病有年龄组差异。
钩端螺旋体病一直反复出现,其原因是跨国旅行人员增加以及全球变暖导致的气候变化。