Lepto vaccinating - protect your humans

Vets and technicians will be busy out at graziers, run-offs, and dairy sheds over the next few months lepto vaccinating your stock. This will not only keep you compliant, but also protect your stock, staff, family, dogs, vets, and yourself.

Leptospirosis is a disease caused by bacteria shed in the urine of infected animals. Splashes of urine or contaminated water enter other animals and humans through the nose, mouth or eyes, or cuts in the skin.

Lepto remains one of the most common work-related infectious diseases in New Zealand. In humans’ disease can range from mild flu-like symptoms to severe illness, collapsing, inability to move, blindness, renal failure, and miscarriage. In NZ there is no vaccine for lepto in humans. So, preventing infection in humans involves controlling infection in animals.

To break the cycle of infection a robust, ongoing vaccination programme is crucial.

It is due to the human health risk that vets, and techs are unable to attend farm visits for those dairy farms that are not up to date with vaccinations.

Lepto vaccinating animals has two main functions:

To reduce urine shedding in animals and therefore protect humans from infection.
To directly prevent serious disease and production loss in animals.

There are many more factors to consider for reducing the risk of lepto in humans, such as good hygiene practices, pest control, and biosecurity. Ask your vet or tech to go through our ‘Leptosure’ poster with your staff at herd vaccination time. You can keep this poster displayed in the shed.

If you have any questions regarding the best plan to keep your calves, herd, and humans protected from lepto, feel free to contact your local Franklin Vets clinic.

Jordan McGimpsey BVSc (Dist.)