Be aware of the infection risk posed on farms

THIS time of year there is a greater number of people working in farmyards, as animals are housed and the calving and lambing seasons begin. As human to animal contact has increased, so too has the risk of infections.

Visits to farms have become popular and are considered both educational and enjoyable. People who work and live on farms or visitors to farms can be prone to acquiring infections for many different reasons. All animals naturally carry a range of organisms, some of which maybe transmitted to humans and cause ill health, for example E.Coli 0157 bacteria gives rise to diarrhoea and fever and may go on to cause more serious illness.

The Health and Safety Authority are responsible for the introduction and enforcement of relevant Health & Safety Legislation, and the Department of Agriculture is responsible for the control of notifiable animal diseases eg Bovine Tuberculosis and Brucelosis on the farm. Many of these diseases are of public health importance, and any farmer opening their farm to the public has duties under Health and Safety Law.

As it is not always possible to eliminate the risks of infection, control measures are necessary to reduce or eradicate the risk. All visitors to a farm either an open farm or private should be aware of infection hazards and risks, and take necessary steps to reduce or avoid transmission, e.g. washing hands, how to behave near animals, or where visitors can and cannot go.

The most common diseases that can get from animal to human known as zoonotic infections are Brucellosis, TB, Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, Leptospirosis, Orf Virus, Ringworm, Salmonella, Tetanus and Toxoplasma.

The infections of most concern to sheep farmers is toxoplasma, orf, and enzootic abortion. Toxoplasmosis and enzootic abortion can be prevented by vaccination, hand washing facilities, and disposing of cat faeces. Pregnant women should be are aware of the risks of Toxoplasmosis and avoid working with sheep.

Orf is caused by a virus transmissible to humans by contact with infected sheep and is a common infection among sheep farmers. Prevention of orf is by ensuring general cleanliness of animal housing areas, wearing gloves or consider using a live vaccine for flocks with an orf problem. Dust and spores can cause very serious illness, particularly for farmers opening old silage bales, mouldy hay, straw or grain. The farmer should wear Personal Protective Equipment in these situations.

Simple precautions can help prevent the majority of zoonotic illnesses. In the farm environment keep sheds, fences, pathsways as clean as possible. In areas that are close to the house or where children play, aim to prevent contamination of soil by cats and dog faeces and deworm cats and dogs regularly. Rodents are always a problem on farms and there must be a continuous plan of control, as contact with materials contaminated with rat urine can cause Weils Disease.

Biosecurity measures should be implemented on farms to prevent disease entry. A biosecurity plan should contain guidelines on how to purchase animals while avoiding the introduction of diseases. Every farm should have erected farm safety signs and disinfectants at farm entrances.

Once a farmer implements a risk management strategy, the risk of infections on farms can be minimal. All farmers should have in their possession the Farm Safety Code of Practice Risks Assessment Document which contains a section on Health of Farmers. It is important to complete this document as it brings to the farmers attention health risks on the farm along with the other major risks in farming.