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WHAT IS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF VACCINATION AND OTHER SOLUTIONS

All animals are seronegative at birth and for dairy and beef cattle, deer, pigs and goats vaccination before the animal picks up any infection, will provide immunity in most cases. Once an animal is infected vaccination will not arrest the shedding of leptospires - the administration of antibiotics is required to achieve this. The efficacy of vaccination can be as low as 70% therefore vaccination of itself does not give operators 100% confidence of full protection.

Further work is required to obtain good data on the efficacy of vaccination with sheep, and also with other species, in the whole range of New Zealand pastoral farming situations.

Most vaccination programmes specify one shot within 6 - 8 weeks of birth and a second shot within 2 - 4 months and thereafter an annual booster. Cows and hinds can receive their annual booster during pregnancy (dairy cows often when they are dry) and the new born calves and fawns are afforded some protection through the colostrum in the mother's milk.

There is no vaccine available for humans in New Zealand.

Effective solutions therefore require humans to avoid exposure, either directly or indirectly, to the urine of infected animals, or through handling the reproductive tissues of infected animals, or substances or products contaminated by the urine from infected animals.

Consideration must be given to an overall risk assessment and management procedure and the effective communication of that to all employers, employees and to their visitors. The wearing and use of appropriate personal protective equipment is an important component of most effective solutions, combined with a high degree of personal hygiene. It is essential to ensure that all cuts or broken skin are adequately covered with water resistant protective dressings.

Significant awareness programmes for staff in various meat processing plants have been effective. Information sheets have been provided for employees and their families, information given to the medical providers, cards for staff to show to their doctor and the doctor being asked to provide antibiotics as soon as there is an indication of leptospirosis infection. These information programmes have been generally well received and have received good feedback - especially from staff who have had leptospirosis themselves.

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