Review article

Protection of agricultural workers from benign leptospiroses

I. Zaharija ; Zavod i klinika za zarazne bolesti, Veterinarski fakultet, Zagreb

Abstract

The benign leptospiroses are known to be occupational diseases of agricultural workers sometimes observed also among other professions like milkmen etc. In spite of the low fatality rate (0,5-1%) they represent a serious and long lasting illness with slow recovery. Frequent complications make the disease even worse. In 1947 the disease was first discovered in Croatia and since 1950 some systematic research has been started in that field. Two ways of infection are known: the direct, by contact with urine of rats or field and forest mice, or domestic animals (dogs, pigs, cattle. horse), and the indirect, by contact with surface water and soil (mamly during a flood period) infected with urine. The best prevention consists in avoiding the infection. Every case of leptospirosis should be registered. Physicians should try to make early diagnosis. Rats and mice should be ruthlessly destroyed. Through health propaganda the danger of the disease should be made clear to agricultural workers. Infected domestic animals should be treated with drugs which destroy leptospirae in kidneys (streptomycin and aureomycin). or if that cannot be done a desinfection of urine should be carried out. There should be a good water supply for men and cattle. Bathing on places admissible for cattle should not be permitted. Impermeable clothing should be worn as a personal prophylaxis and vaccination should be arranged for all those who are especially exposed.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

186405

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/186405

Publication date:

14.3.1955.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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