Book: Health & Safety Overview Chapter: 4. Dealing with substances hazardous to health Section: Micro-organisms Metadata: Details Buy this book

These cover a range of diseases and infections, including those transmitted by ticks, airborne spores and bodily fluids. They can enter the body through skin absorption or inhalation and measures to minimise the likelihood of anyone coming into contact with them must be taken. The main ones for countryside work are outlined below.

Lyme disease ­ bacterial infection transmitted from animals to humans by the bite of the adult female sheep tick. Animal hosts include deer, foxes, squirrels, sheep, gulls, mice and other rodents. The tick requires moist and relatively warm conditions to survive between blood feeds and tall vegetation to climb to find a host, e.g. in forests and woodlands, particularly where bracken is prevalent. Their feeding phases are from late March to early June and from August to October. Symptoms are like flu and a rash may appear at the site of a bite. People must:

• Have as little skin exposed as possible, go to a GP immediately if they suspect that they have been bitten, particularly if the bite develops a rash around it.
• Remove and squash a tick alighting on the skin.
• If tick cannot be removed and attaches itself to the skin, the mouth part must be gripped with tweezers and gently withdrawn. Using surgical spirit or antiseptic is helpful. If the tick or parts cannot be managed, seek help without delay.
• Check clothes and skin for ticks and shake clothes after work.

Tetanus ­ can affect anyone whose work involves contact with soil. Disease-forming spores enter the body through cuts, abrasions or puncture wounds made by splinters or thorns.

• People should obtain immunity and ensure that it is kept up to date ­ your GP will have information on this.

Toxocara canis ­ micro-organism in dog faeces which can cause blindness in children. The risk to adults is not considered to be great, provided normal standards of hygiene are maintained.

• If dog faeces do come into contact with skin or clothes, wash with soap and water without delay.

Weil's disease (Leptospirosis) ­ a bacterial infection carried in rat urine which contaminates water and wet banks. Infection occurs through cuts, abrasions and the lining of the eyes and mouth. Symptoms are flu-like illness leading to meningitis, jaundice and sometimes death. People must:

• Cover cuts with waterproof plasters, avoiding further contact with pond water.
• Wash hands thoroughly after contact with water and before eating or smoking.
• Wear wellington boots if working in water to reduce the risk of water getting into cuts.
• Tell their GP promptly of the circumstances if symptoms appear.

Information card Leptospirosis, are you at risk? available free from HSE Books.

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