MANILA - Vanity can save your life--especially in times of floods.

Dr. Eric Tayag, chief of the Department of Health's (DOH) National Epidemiology Center, said that people - especially women - who are very particular about keeping their legs clean and beautiful, have a higher chance of not contracting the deadly leptospirosis.

"Vanity saved the day [for women]," Tayag told ABS-CBN's Umagang Kay Ganda.

Tayag noted that the majority of patients with leptospirosis are men, according to recorded cases in Metro Manila since tropical storm Ondoy (Ketsana) hit the country last September.

Men are more vulnerable to the disease because they often brave the floodwaters and don't really care about getting their legs dirty.

He said many women in flooded areas avoid waters contaminated with leptospires by staying in their homes or riding boats.

He added that vanity prompts many women to wear boots to protect their feet and legs from dirty water.

The DOH has alerted private and government-owned hospitals about the sudden increase of leptospirosis cases in the country, particularly in Metro Manila, due to floods caused by tropical storm Ondoy (international codename Ketsana).

Surge in leptospirosis

Tayag said the DOH had expected an increase in leptospirosis cases two weeks after Ondoy's onslaught last September 26.

"Last weekend, hospitals--public and private--became busy [treating patients with leptospirosis]," the epidemiology expert said.

The DOH said that from September 29 to October 12, a total of 181 cases of leptospirosis were recorded, with 152 of the patients recorded in Metro Manila.

Leptospirosis is contracted from soil or waters contaminated with dog, cat and rat urine through open wounds or breaks in the skin.

Tayag said people can also catch leptospirosis through their eyes or by swallowing floodwaters.

He said that 10 days after being exposed in floods, a patient will experience high fever, extreme headache, chills and redness of the eyes.

The patient's skin will become yellowish and urine color will become tea-like, which indicates possible kidney failure.

The DOH said 1 out of 20 patients of leptospirosis usually dies, if the condition is not immediately treated.

Tayag said the DOH has started distributing antibiotics to residents living in flooded areas in Metro Manila. He said the antibiotic, which is taken once a week, is prophylactic. This means it can protect a person from the disease.