Single dosage of doxycycline for prophylaxis against leptospiral infection and leptospirosis during urban flooding in southern Thailand: A non-randomized controlled trial

This study was conducted to investigate the protective efficacy of a single dosage of 200 mg doxycycline against leptospiral infection and leptospirosis and associated risk factors among residents exposed to flooding in southern Thailand. Of 641 participants, 600 received doxycycline while 41 did not. Twenty two participants were infected with Leptospira and six developed leptospirosis. Having a laceration wound was significantly associated with leptospiral infection (odds ratio [OR] = 37.20; P < 0.001) and leptospirosis (OR = 18.24; P = 0.003) whereas exposure to flood more than 3 h per day was associated with only leptospiral infection (OR = 3.70; P = 0.038). Seventeen participants who received doxycycline and five who did not, were infected with Leptospira, resulting a protective efficacy of 76.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 34.3%-92.0%). Four who received doxycycline and two who did not, developed leptospirosis, resulting a protective efficacy of 86.3% (CI = −9.8%-98.2%). Among the participants with laceration wound, the protective efficacy for leptospiral infection was 92.0% (CI = 81.2%-96.6%) and for leptospirosis was 95.6% (CI = 78.2%-99.3%). Among the participants exposed to flood water less than or equal to 3 h per day, the protective efficacy for leptospiral infection was 89.2% (95% CI 63.6%-96.67%). A single dosage of 200 mg doxycycline for prophylaxis might be effective for preventing leptospirosis among flood victims with laceration wound after recent flood exposure.