Zoonoses - Topic 19 "Zoonoses" is the name given to animal diseases that can cause illness in people. Often animal carriers are not obviously ill, yet people in contact with them can become infected. Farm animals are a common source of infection, and people most at risk are abattoir workers, farmers, veterinarians, livestock handlers and animal laboratory workers. Leptospirosis, Q Fever, Hydatid Disease and Orf are the zoonoses of most concern in Western Australia. Spot the hazard Review infection control during animal handling procedures. Be aware of contamination sources. Check availability and use of suitable disinfectants. Check handling and disposal procedures for contaminated materials. Check if farm dogs eat meat or offal from farm-killed sheep or wild animals. Assess the risk Consider the likelihood of disease or harm occurring. Assess whether existing safe procedures are working or need improving. Establish whether others on the farm have immunity to various zoonoses, either through vaccination or having had the disease. Make the changes The following information is to help farmers understand zoonoses hazards, so that the risk of infection can be minimised or eliminated. Leptospirosis Flu-like symptoms include headaches, muscle pains, fever, chills, sensitivity to light and a stiff neck. Some people also develop kidney or liver problems. Avoid direct contact with animal urine, contaminated water, and birth fluids, especially from pigs. Infection enters through cuts in the skin or through the linings of eyes, nose or throat. Leptospirosis can be treated with antibiotics. If you think you may be infected see a doctor quickly. Clean benches and floors with detergents or disinfectants. Eradicate rats and mice. Ensure good drainage of stock areas, and hygienic disposal of effluent. Q Fever Q Fever also feels like 'flu', with headaches, muscle pains and fever, that may progress to pneumonia. Some people develop liver and heart problems. Avoid breathing contaminated dust, air infected by animal after-birth and birth fluids, drinking unpasteurised milk, or contact with contaminated straw, wool, hair or hides. Found in a wide range of domestic and wild animals, such as sheep, goats, bandicoots and wallabies. Disinfect, burn or bury infected materials. Treat and cover cuts quickly. Milk should be pasteurised or boiled. Q Fever in humans can be treated with antibiotics. If you think you are infected see a doctor quickly. Hydatid Disease In the early stages of Hydatid Disease no symptoms may be felt. Symptoms depend on the site of the parasitic cyst which is the cause of the disease. The most common site is in the liver. Symptoms due to a large liver cyst may be a sense of weight, vomiting, feeling overly full after meals, or pain, indigestion and jaundice (abnormal yellow discolouration of the body). Cysts may also occur in the lungs. Early symptoms may be coughing, chest pain or coughing blood. The first symptom may be coughing up salty fluid after rupture of a cyst. This may lead to shock from allergy, itching of the skin or chest infection. Cysts in other body organs may cause seizures, blindness, deafness, kidney pain or heart problems. All these forms are potentially deadly, and the rupture of a cyst at any site can cause death from shock due to allergy. Hydatid disease is caught by humans from dogs that have eaten the raw meat or offal of sheep, cattle, goats, kangaroos or wild pigs carrying Hydatid cysts. Eating with infected hands or other hand-to-mouth contact after patting a dog is enough for eggs of the Hydatid worm to be swallowed and cause infection. When swallowed, Hydatid eggs are transported by the blood to other parts of the body. Dogs and dingoes carry the worm in their gut without becoming ill. Treating Hydatid Disease Hydatid cysts can cause serious illness in humans. The only effective treatment is surgery to remove the cysts, sometimes in conjunction with anti-worm drugs. Some cysts in vital organs cannot be surgically removed. Reducing infection risk Don't allow dogs to eat raw meat or offal from farm killed sheep, goats or cattle, or feral and native animals like pigs, goats and kangaroos. Make sure dogs are given a regular tape worm treatment - consult your vet for the most effective program. Dogs should be prevented from eating animals that die on the farm or in the bush. Carcasses should be disposed of as quickly as possible. Don't allow children to play with stray dogs. Orf (scabby mouth) The disease known as Orf or scabby mouth in sheep and goats can affect humans in other ways. Red areas or pimple-like lesions appear, often at the site of a graze or cut. This becomes a blister surrounded by red swollen skin that can turn into an ulcer and take four to six weeks to heal. Regional lymph glands may become swollen in some cases. Contact with sheep or sheep products is the usual cause of infection to humans, though goats are occasionally a source of infection. The Orf virus usually enters through cuts or abrasions. Orf sores should be treated with antiseptic dressings to prevent bacterial infection and spread. Usually healing and recovery occurs even without treatment, and you will not get the disease again. Reducing infection risk Cuts and abrasions from handling sheep should be treated with disinfectant and covered to avoid reinfection. Learn to recognise the disease in animals (thick scabs or ulcers on the nose, lips, eyes or other hairless areas) and avoid contact. Health Alert card An Occupational Health Alert card is available from WorkSafe Western Australia to alert doctors that a patient may have caught a disease from animals. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH ALERT _________________ is employed in the meat industry and could be exposed to Zoonoses (e.g. Brucellosis, Leptospirosis, Q Fever). This card issued by: Signature of issuing officer: _________________ Official stamp of issuing officer/organisation: _________________ Date of issue Date of expiry: _________________ Paired specimens of 10ml. whole blood taken 2-3 weeks apart in non-heparinised containers are used for serological confirmation of diagnoses [ Previous ] [ Contents ] [ Next ]