LEPTOSPIROSIS: NEW SOUTH WALES

 Reply |ProMED-mail to promed-ahead-e.
show details 08:20 (25 minutes ago)

LEPTOSPIROSIS - AUSTRALIA (02): (NEW SOUTH WALES)
*************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org/>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org/>
Date: Thu 21 Apr 2011
Source: ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) [edited]
<http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/21/3197611.htm>

An outbreak of a rare disease spread by mice has prompted a warning
by health authorities for local farmers to cover up. 4 cases of
leptospirosis have been confirmed in the Murrumbidgee Local Health
Network.
Public health director Tracey Oakman said the mouse borne disease has
similar symptoms to the common flu. Ms Oakman said farmers are
particularly susceptible in the mouse plague, as the infection happens
when open wounds come in contact with mouse urine. "It's really
important, if people do have cuts they can make sure they cover them,"
she said. "I know gloves are difficult for farmers, or bandages, but
try and avoid best you can coming into contact with soil and water and
mud that have urine in it."
Ms Oakman said it was not normally seen as far south in New South
Wales but mouse numbers are up this year [2011] because of all the
rain. It's important that people do go to the doctor with
leptospirosis because you can get kidney failure, jaundice, and
meningitis and bleeding on the lungs as a complication," she said.
"Many people do end up in hospital after it, so if they're unwell,
please go and see a doctor to diagnose it and a blood test will
diagnose it."