Tackling Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is one of the most significant health threats to New Zealand dairy herds and the families who work with them.
“New Zealand has one of the highest rates of leptospirosis infection in the world with 120 human cases reported each year,” points out Dr Jenny Weston, president of the NZVA’s Society of Dairy Cattle Veterinarians.
Weston says incidence may be even higher than that “as there could be many more unreported cases, with recent research suggesting there could be up to 40-50 undiagnosed cases for every case that is reported.”
The NZVA recommends vaccinating young stock against leptospirosis early and maintaining protection through animal boosters. Weston warns it’s a highly infectious disease and passes from animals to humans with farmers, vets and meat processors most at risk of contracting it.
Many people who contract the disease mistake the symptoms for a bad dose of the flu. She says people should seek medical attention to obtain the correct diagnosis and treatment. “It’s a serious illness which can be fatal.”
Common practice has been to vaccinate calves at six months of age to stop them spreading the disease but recent evidence suggests this needs to happen at the earlier age of three months, says Weston.
“Delaying vaccination can result in those animals, if exposed to infection, continuing to ‘shed’ – or pass leptospirosis organisms in their urine – when they’re adults. The most critical aspect of leptospirosis control and vaccination is to stop animals shedding.”
Weston says following NZVA’s Leptosure risk management programme (see panel) means you can be confident that all ‘practicable steps’ are taken to prevent leptospirosis infecting people. Expert advice from a local vet should be sought and if the farm is a high risk farm, to vaccinate earlier. Spring-born calves should be vaccinated before Christmas, and if they’re going off the property, vaccination should be before they leave.
NZVA has worked for years with leptospirosis researchers at Massey University and with Rural Women NZ to promote the importance of leptospirosis control.
Sheep, deer, beef cattle added to Leptosure
Leptosure is the national risk management programme developed by NZVA and the NZVA Society of Dairy Cattle Veterinarians to reduce the risk of human leptospirosis infection on New Zealand dairy farms. The programme has recently been expanded to cover beef cattle, sheep, deer and dairy cattle.
