The Department of Health (DoH) on Tuesday urged the public not to take doxycycline for leptospirosis without a doctor’s prescription, stressing that those who have waded in floodwaters should first seek medical advice at a health center.
“Reminder: Get a consultation first in a health center as a doctor’s prescription is required to get medication for leptospirosis,” DoH said in an infographic published on Facebook on Tuesday in Filipino.
The agency earlier said that doxycycline is a prescription antibiotic for leptospirosis and taking it without a doctor’s prescription can lead to incorrect dosing, pose dangerous side effects, and heighten antibiotic resistance.
Leptospirosis is a serious bacterial infection primarily spread by flood water or soil contaminated with the urine of infected animals, particularly rats.
It enters the human body through openings such as wounds, open cuts, eyes, nose, and mouth.
Its common symptoms include fever, vomiting or diarrhea, head and body pain, yellow skin or eyes (jaundice), red eyes, among others, which could appear up to a month, DoH said on its website.
If left untreated, leptospirosis can progress to severe complications like kidney failure, liver damage, meningitis, or worse, death.
To prevent leptospirosis, the DoH recommended preventive measures for people based on their level of exposure risk.
For individuals who waded through floodwaters with wounds, the agency advised seeking medical consultation to determine whether antibiotics should be prescribed.
For people with wounds who have not waded through floodwaters, the DoH advised keeping wounds covered with waterproof bandages and avoiding contact with floodwaters.
Lastly, people without wounds who have not waded in flood waters are advised to stay safe and avoid contact with flood waters.
The DoH told reporters via Viber that requests for health data, such as leptospirosis incidence, are being reviewed and assessed. The agency said that it is currently aligning its processes and priorities to strengthen its systems. — Edg Adrian A. Eva