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Any animal care experts out there?
I need to know what (if any) specific health issues can arise from working with rodents and non-venomous reptiles in a college environment. No birds, cattle, sheep, horses to worry about.
Thank you in advance.
Stuff
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I would think that leptorpirosis, transmitted through rat urine would be something to consider.
PhilW
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Have these been bred under laboratory conditions? I don't know but would investigate as to whether this would have any impact on the disease risk.
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Rank: Forum user
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Rank: Super forum user
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Thanks both. Some are bred in-house, some purchased from local suppliers. They are not bred under nor kept in "lab conditions"
The activity is related to animal care rather than for experimentation so these animals may well carry diseases, hence my question.
There appears to have been a rather uninformed decision on use of PPE and I want to understand what hazards may be present so that I can assist in the risk assessment and any subsequent controls etc.
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Rank: Forum user
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Rank: Super forum user
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Some of the PPE considerations would have to be based on infections/diseases caused by bites/scratching and urine / feaces.
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Rank: Forum user
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Forgot to mention that male rabbits can 'cast' quite a considerable distance and people have been known to be hit the face.
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Do we get hantavirus in the UK? I know north american mice carry it and that it can be fatal, but I don't know if we get it over here,
John
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And there's just the general stuff about bites, tetanus and so on,
John
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Rank: New forum user
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Salmonella from the reptiles too
Kath
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Rank: New forum user
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Oops also forgot to say that reptiles can get ticks too - so you can get various diseases from the tick i.e. Lyme disease.
Hope that helps
Kath
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Rank: Super forum user
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Great responses. Thanks to all.
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Rank: Forum user
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Reptiles also can have salmonella - care needs to be taken when handling them and washing their tanks and vivariums. As they are at college no young or old people to worry about but immunosupressed need to be careful. Many also harbour large numbers of protozoal organisms, which may infest humans, and cause a range of infections - so scrupulous hygiene if there are any open cuts or wounds or person is scratched. Few reptiles get ticks unless they come from the wild which is unlikely.
Whilst all mentioned have their own little specialist 'infections' a policy of good hygiene, reporting even small cuts so first aid can clean them properly and it sounds daft but showing students how to wash their hands properly is a good idea - the industrial soap manufacturers are a good bet here.
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