We have always issued wallet size cards to our employees to carry in their wallets regarding symptoms etc. If this is covered in detail on induction etc , is it still neccessary to continue to issue these cards?....what do my fellow safety colleagues think and do in their organisation? Welcome your thoughts ...Many thanks

Keep them. Anyone at risk with flu' like symptoms should show the card when visiting their GP.
Whilst I've every respect for GPs, the card can often act as a prompt to help inform appropriate diagnosis.

Ron, if I had to show my GP a leptospirosis card in order to assist with the diagnosis...I would quickly find another GP mate.

Moreover, leptospirosis (Weil's disease) is a rare condition with only 44 cases reported in England and Wales in 2011, 15 of those were contracted overseas and none were fatal - don't have nightmares.

Both of Mr. Hunter's comments are bang on the mark, and for once, Mr. Rapp is well off the mark in his.

No one would suggest that a warning card should be kept in a wallet alongside a bank card that is used every day.

However, possession of one is a simple precaution for what could be a serious or even fatal infection.

Not many fatalities, true. But I use two illustrations in my Occupational Health Risk Notes.

Andy Holmes, aged 51, oarsman who twice triumphed at the Olympics with Steve Redgrave, died October 2010. "Earlier this month he contracted Leptospirosis a rare condition that rowers can pick up from infected water".

Mrs Colburn, aged 56, died August 2008. "A woman died from a rare disease after she was scratched by a rat that she was trying to free from her garden feeder". "Four days later she developed flu-like symptoms and within 48 hours was dead".

Rodger Ker

Cases of Weil's Disease (alias leptospirosis) are so rare in the UK that probably very few doctors think of it as a possibility when they encounter patients suffering from it. Furthermore, its symptoms resemble those of other more common conditions. Therefore, I think it's highly appropriate that anyone whose work might foreseeably expose them to the disease should be made aware and reminded of it by cards and/or any other appropriate means so that if they feel unwell they can suggest it as a possibility to doctors. The same applies to others who might be at risk through voluntary or recreational activities, e.g. boating and conservation projects adjacent to or in water. rodgerker at #7 has already mentioned the tragic death in 2010 of Olympic rowing champion Andy Holmes which was almost certainly caused by the disease.

Some years ago a manager with my former employer became increasingly ill after a canal cruising holiday with his family and ended up in hospital where his very serious condition baffled doctors. Fortunately there was a nurse at the hospital who had experience of working in the Far East where leptospirosis is common/endemic. She told the doctors that they were almost certainly dealing with leptospirosis. This resulted in one or more patient samples being sent to and tested by the UK's Leptospira Reference Unit at Hereford which confirmed leptospirosis. This enabled the manager to receive appropriate treatment and eventually make a full recovery. In retrospect the manager almost certainly contracted the disease during his holiday through falling into a canal and absorbing contaminated water through a skin graze and/or a mucous membrane such as his lips. Sadly, neither he nor his family had any previous awareness of leptospirosis and therefore hadn't been able to envisage or suggest any link between the holiday and his subsequent illness.

Plenty of practical advice and information about leptospirosis is available from different organisations, e.g. the British Canoe Union (BCU) at http://www.bcu.org.uk/re...disease-i-leptospirosis/ The BCU also produce a useful poster/card which includes information for doctors and can be seen at http://www.hjcc.org.uk/f...weils_disease_poster.pdf Also, local authorities with schools ought to ensure that teachers and pupils involved in activities such as pond dipping or excursions near water have appropriate advice. This should include explanations to pupils (appropriate for their age and comprehension) about biological hazards from water (e.g. almost all rivers and streams contain human and/or animal sewage) and what precautions they should take to minimise infection.

I'm sure you don't mean "vilified" Ray!!!!

Tongue firmly in cheek Ron.