Main Trails Geography Books Equipment Weather Narratives Clubs Tips Recommendations Feedback
Tips for Hiking Oahu's Backyard
Chapter 4.2: Health & Disease Hazards"Lepto" is a germ from wild pigs, plain and simple. Although it also exists in cattle and rats, feral pigs heavily populate the wet forest reserves of both the Koolaus and Waianaes. Leptospira comes from their urine which soaks into the sloshy mud and seeps into the streams. Also called "Fort Bragg fever", "Weil's disease", and "swineherd's disease", it produces various symptoms in humans including fever (102-104 degrees-F), chills, abdominal pains, vomiting, nausea, myalgia (esp. calf muscles), unrelenting headache, photophobia, sore throat, cough, diarrhea, and sometimes rashes. It may also cause meningitis, which is a potentially fatal inflammation of the meninges, or membranes, covering the brain and spinal cord. Perhaps the most dangerous aspect of this "bug" is that its manifestation can be mistaken for a common flu and thus may be regarded as such until more injurous symptoms arise.The germ is transmitted into the human body through minor cuts in the skin, oral ingestion of contaminated water or food, and contact with eyes. Unfortunately, to avoid large contact with the bacteria, one would need to steer clear of streams and trails crossing into pig territory. This virtually eliminates every trail on Oahu, except those which follow dry, ungraded, sparsely-vegetated ridgelines (e. g. Makapuu/Tom-Tom, Kamaileunu Ridge, Koko Crater). Leptospirosis is an acute and severe infection caused by several Leptospira species of Spirochetes bacteria. (Spirochetes are 2 to 500 microns in length, slender, spiral-shaped, unicellular organisms which propel themselves by spinning around the longitudinal axis of their bodies.) Objective symptoms include markedly reddened conjunctiva (the transparent mucous membrane lining the inside of the eyelids and the white of the eyeball), liver palpatations (50% of cases), jaundice (fifth day), capillary hemorrhaging, purpuric skin lesions, and aseptic meningitis. These are two facts about Lepto, as provided by Nathan Yuen: - The highest number of cases of human leptospirosis in the U.S. come from two regions in the State of Hawaii--Kauai and the east coast of Hawaii (Big island). 70% of the cases of leptospirosis come from these two areas. - On Oahu, Kapena Falls (Nuuanu Stream behind Nuuanu Mortuary and Cemetery) is the single most frequently identified site of exposure for recreationally acquired leptospirosis. From 1985 to 1992, 10 confirmed cases were associated with swimming at this site, including one fatality. Hikers with decades of experience on these trails will attest to never having contracted Leptospirosis. Personally, I, nor many others I have hiked with, have ever contracted this germ - in the combined years of our travels. This includes times when we had serious cuts or even blood-letting lacerations - definite entry-points for any microbe. We cross streams and get muddy in known pig areas with these scraped up legs and have come out without infection. (Knock on wood!) It's just a danger that all hikers should be aware of regarding hikes in Hawaii and an assumption of risk the hiker needs to make. Credits:
|
|
|
|---|
Public vs Private
- Public Trails
Invasive Species
Common Trail Hazards
- Physical
- Health/Disease
Preparations/Equipment
- Before setting out
- What to carry
- What to wear
Getting Lost
Oahu Weather
