Leptospirosis guidelines lauched today

Tuesday 12 June 2001

The Occupational Safety and Health Service launched the Guidelines for the Control of Occupationally Acquired Leptospirosis in Wellington today.

OSH set up a team last year to create greater awareness of the disease. The new guidelines have involved representatives from farming, the meat industry, veterinary and animal health groups, unions, ACC, OSH and the medical professionals.

The guidelines provide practical suggestions for management of the workplace health hazard presented by the bacteria which can cause leptospirosis in humans.

"Leptospirosis is New Zealand’s most common occupationally-acquired infectious disease, and one of the most common diseases transmitted from animals to humans," said Louisa Thomas, Business Adviser-Health, OSH.

"Leptospirosis symptoms include fever, severe and persistent headache, chills and rigors, muscular pains, eye irritation and photophobia, nausea– with or without vomiting, appetite loss, sweating, and jaundice."

The guidelines have been published as a joint project between the Occupational Safety and Health Service and the Injury Prevention Division of the Accident Compensation Corporation.

The guidelines include: Identified risk situations and occupations, suggested preventive measures and actions, checklists of actual occupations by risk, case studies of people who have been infected by leptospirosis and pointers to further information.

"The work practices suggested in these guidelines are achievable best practice steps. Employers should treat these preferred work practices as current minimum standards, but should exceed these standards whenever possible," said Miss Thomas.

"Because leptospirosis is a serious illness and potentially fatal, it is a significant hazard as defined by the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992. There is a responsibility on employers and other people in control of a workplace to take all practicable steps to prevent workers suffering serious harm. This document is designed to assist people who have this responsibility.

"Among the most recently confirmed cases are a butcher, some freezing workers and farm workers, a shearer and a relief milker. "Probable" cases included a fisherman – who may have been the first person to die from leptospirosis - and a Crippled Children’s Society worker, as well as a dairy farmer.

"This may come as a surprise to people who know the disease as dairy farm fever. Over 100 cases of the infectious disease were reported last year, but the true number of cases is probably twice that as leptospirosis is under-diagnosed and under-reported."