A friend called me recently, “Dr. Debs, I’m in St. James. We’re seeing high numbers of leptospirosis. What do we do?” She’s a nurse.
Her question followed confirmation from Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton, on Friday, November 21, that Jamaica is now experiencing a leptospirosis outbreak, based on a rise in confirmed and suspected cases across eight parishes. He noted that there are nine confirmed cases and 28 suspected cases in St. Elizabeth, St. Catherine, Hanover, Westmoreland, Trelawny, St. Ann, St. James, and St. Mary; and six suspected deaths between October 30 and November 20, 2025.
TRANSMISSION
Leptospirosis is an infectious disease caused by coming in contact with bacteria contaminated with the urine or faeces of infected animals. It can present as a mild fever or a severe life-threatening illness.
On October 28, Hurricane Melissa caused the death of many animals. They have not been properly disposed of, and now, humans and animals alike are walking in water contaminated by these dead creatures, swimming in it, washing in it, and drinking it.
The leptospirosis bacteria will enter the body through cuts or abrasions on your skin or through the mucous membrane, the eye, the nose, or the mouth.
SYMPTOMS
Symptoms may include high fever, jaundice – which shows as yellowness in the eyes, sometimes red eyes, abdominal pains, headaches, body-wide pain, chills, vomiting, nausea, skin rash, and diarrhoea.
And since other illnesses can have similar symptoms (you just might feel like you’re having a terrible flu), you must ensure that you visit your medical doctor and get tested.
If the illness advances to the acute phase, it can affect your pancreas and gallbladder, develop into meningitis, cause inflammation of the cardiac muscle in the heart, stomach bleeding, kidney failure and liver failure.
The liver is one of the major organs affected by the leptospirosis bacteria.
So, we don’t want to play around with this thing. We must ensure we’re doing all that we can to protect ourselves.
ANTI- AND PROBIOTICS
Once you’re found positive for leptospirosis, you will be placed on antibiotics by your doctor. Now, if you choose to go with the antibiotic, please remember: prescription antibiotics disrupt both harmful and beneficial gut bacteria. So, yes, it will deal with the leptospirosis bacteria, but it’s also going to damage your good gut bacteria, which you need in order to have a strong immune system.
Taking a high-quality probiotic supplement, which is available in a health food store, can help restore a healthy gut microbiome.
Take the probiotic first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, and when the antibiotics are complete, continue with the probiotic for 30 days.
CLEAN WATER WITH MORINGA SEEDS
For years, when I lived in Montego Bay, I used the moringa seeds to clarify my water. How so? Collect crispy dry moringa pods, remove the seeds, and peel away the shell to get to the white kernels. You will need about 15–20 of these for every four cups or one litre of water.
Using a clean stone or mortar, crush the seeds into a paste. Add a little clean water to make
a milky slurry, and add this slurry to your one litre of cloudy water in a bottle or a container. Shake vigorously for at least two minutes, then let the container sit undisturbed for at least one to two hours.
You will see the dirt and the particles settle at the bottom, leaving clean, clear water at the top.
Now, remember that when you’re pouring this water through a clean cloth into a clean container, you are not to disturb the sediments at the bottom. Once this other step is completed, you purify this clean water by boiling it in either stainless steel, ceramic pots, or a kettle.
NATURAL ANTIBIOTICS
Boosting your immune system helps to prevent or lessen the effects of the leptospirosis bacterial infection.
You can use golden seal, oregano plant or oil (combined with honey), or the grape root. These herbal plants can be used as natural antibiotics, as they contain broad-spectrum antibacterial compounds that will help to protect you.
Ginger is also very helpful; it is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial.
Echinacea is a natural antibiotic and immune system stimulant, too.
Turmeric is anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial.
We have a herb called pau d’arco. It is an excellent anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antibacterial plant that helps boost the immune system.
I use all of these herbs to treat my patients, and you can find them at health food stores.
If you have family members who are out in the parishes that have been really severely impacted by Hurricane Melissa, you can just get two or three of these herbs and send them to your loved ones.
PREPARING HERBAL TEA AND PROTECTING YOUR LIVER
It’s one teaspoon of dried herb to eight ounces of water.
Let the water boil for approximately three minutes, add the herb, turn off the stove, and allow the tea to steep for about 5 minutes. Strain and drink unsweetened.
You drink one or two cups of the tea per day. I normally put my patients on a herb for about seven to 14 days as I monitor their progress. Please do your research.
Since leptospirosis tends to affect the liver, there are herbs you can take to help support this vital organ. For example, milk thistle, dandelion, and artichoke leaf extract.
Eat more cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and kale.
Beetroot is excellent and helps guard against dehydration.
Do ensure that you’re drinking pure, clean water.
You can make vegetable broth or vegetable and pea broth and consume that. The electrolytes are important as you feed your body essential minerals like potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium. They are vital for hydration, nerve function, and muscle activity, especially during this time.
Consume fruits like coconut water, guava, avocado, June plum, watermelon, star fruit, banana, plantain, sorrel, Irish moss, spirulina seaweed, and spirulina seaweed powder.
If you want to help your family in Jamaica, those of you who are overseas can purchase and send down some of these things. For example, the spirulina seaweed powder, the Irish moss, the chlorella, and the wheatgrass powder.
This country is blessed by God in so many ways, and these fruits and vegetables are high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to keep us healthy.
The chlorophyll from these plants is very helpful for cleaning the blood, cleansing the bowel, and building healthy red blood cells. Get, grow, and eat your vegetables and your fruits.
Dr. Debra Williams is a naturopathic doctor, medical missionary, and author of “Healthy Devotional, Jamaican-Style Plant-Based Cooking” and “When Faith in God is Bigger than the Fear of Cancer.”
