ʻO nā rodents ka mea nui o ka maʻi leptospirosis, akā hiki i nā holoholona ʻē aʻe ke lawe i kēia maʻi: kekahi mau carnivores (foxes, mongooses, etc.), nā holoholona mahiʻai (bipi, puaʻa, lio, hipa, kao) a hui paha (ʻīlio) a hiki ʻōpeʻapeʻa. Hoʻopaʻa kēia mau holoholona a pau i ka maʻi bacteria i loko o ko lākou mau puʻupaʻa, ʻo ka pinepine me ka ʻole o ka maʻi. Ua ʻōlelo ʻia he mau mea lawe olakino. Hoʻopilikia mau ʻia ke kanaka ma ka hoʻopili ʻana me ka mimi o kēia mau holoholona i maʻi ʻia, ma ka wai a ma ka lepo paha. Hoʻokomo pinepine ka bacteria i ke kino ma o ka ʻili ke ʻoki ʻia a ʻoki ʻia, a i ʻole ma ka ihu, waha, nā maka. Hiki iā ʻoe ke loaʻa i ka maʻi ma ka inu ʻana i ka wai a i ʻole ka meaʻai i loaʻa ai ka bacteria. I kekahi manawa, pili pololei ia me nā holoholona ma'i i hiki ke ho'oulu i ka ma'i.