Safeguards Against Rodents Urged for Persons Residing Near Farmlands

The Westmoreland Public Health Department is urging persons residing near sugar-cane lands to take steps to safeguard their premises against rodents migrating from fields during the harvesting season.

Health Promotion and Education Officer for the parish, Gerald Miller, cautioned that the rodents can transmit leptospirosis and, as such, persons are encouraged to be vigilant.

Leptospirosis is an infectious disease caused by the Leptospira bacteria, which can potentially lead to fatal infection of the kidney, liver, brain, lungs or heart.

“We want persons to secure their houses, ensure that they are rodent proof. Ensure that rats can’t enter their houses and come in contact with items in the household, which can result in the transmission of the disease,” Mr. Miller implored.

He pointed out that the disease is contracted and spread by eating food or handling water contaminated by the urine of infected animals, as also during the process of persons tending to these livestock.

Persons can also get the illness by wading or bathing in stagnant water that is frequented by infected animals.

“These animals can urinate in the water and the bacteria can penetrate the skin or the mucous membranes and get into your body. Another way of getting the disease is working in damp or muddy areas contaminated by the urine of infected animals and rats, for example, rice and sugar-cane fields,” the Officer further informed.

Mr. Miller noted that persons most at risk of contracting leptospirosis are cane and rice field workers, farmers, factory workers, garbage collectors, slaughterhouse workers, and persons handling infected animals.

Consequently, he encourages these persons to wear the proper protective clothing while carrying out their duties and engage in hygienic practices, such as handwashing.

The average duration between exposure to the Leptospira bacteria and when signs of the disease appear ranges from two to 30 days.

The symptoms range from the sudden onset of high fever, severe head and muscle aches, chills, vomiting and jaundice to abdominal pain, diarrhoea and rash. The disease, if detected quickly, can be cured using antibiotics.

Persons with these symptoms are encouraged to seek medical attention as soon as possible.

“Do not stay home and use home remedies, because leptospirosis can result in complications and… persons dying, which is preventable. We don’t want anybody to die from a preventable disease,” Mr. Miller emphasised.