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A simple way to avoid disease and pesticides

Washing your hands is an essential part of avoiding zoonotics, infections, and residual pesticides.
Washing your hands is an essential part of avoiding zoonotics, infections, and residual pesticides.

With all the talk today about eating healthy, exercise, vitamins, meditation and other behaviors to improve one’s wellbeing, one behavior should NEVER be overlooked by a pest control operator (PCO) or a wildlife control operator (WCO). What is that behavior? Washing your hands. Washing your hands is a simple way to avoid disease and pesticides that you are exposed to as a normal part of your job. Is hand washing perfect? No, it’s not a bubble suit, but it will go a long way to reduce your risk.

Hand washing has several key advantages. First, it is low cost. Soap, water, and a towel, preferably disposable and you are good to go. Second, hand washing is effective. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), handwashing helps prevent the spread of several diseases. The CDC claims that hand washing reduces the number of people who get sick from diarrhea up to 40%. Another fact, important for service providers is that hand washing reduces infections, such as colds, in the general population up to 21%. Third, hand washing is a simple way to avoid diseases and pesticides. Plus, it’s easy to do.

Unfortunately, many people do not wash their hands correctly. So here are the steps.

  1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
  2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
  3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
  4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
  5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

I would add that WCOs and PCOs should wash their hands BEFORE you use the restroom and AFTER too. Keep in mind that we have dirty jobs and are exposed to a lot of germs and chemicals. Add to that the customers who are sneezing, coughing in our presence (and sometimes our faces) and you should be able to easily see the importance of washing your hands.

What about antibacterial soaps and cleaners? Haven’t been proven to be all that effective. Now they are better than nothing if you don’t have access to soap and water. But soap and water are the best because they work on the principle of friction and soap. Friction and soap remove the germs and the running water washes them away. So wash well.

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications along with several books (http://kingsdivinity.academia.edu/StephenMVantassel). He is a sought after speaker and trainer. Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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Necropsy and Carcass Removal Safety

Necropsy and Carcass Removal Safety

Sometimes in wildlife damage management you have to perform a necropsy in order to identify how an animal has died or remove a dead animal carcass. Necropsies are necessary in order to rule out natural causes and to positively identify the likelihood of predation. Carcass removals must be done due to reduce odor or reduce unsanitary conditions. But as can be expected necropsies and carcass removal involve risk. You have to protect yourself from possibility that this animal died from some sort of zoonotic infection. Here are some tips or strategies to protect yourself while you’re performing the necropsy or carcass removal.

Key Steps

1. Be aware that you are at risk. Handling dead animals exposes you to the bacteria, viruses, and parasites that were resident in the animals.

Minimum protective equipment for standard necropsies.

2. Safety equipment only works if you wear it. Sounds silly but how often have you stuck your head up in to an attic without protecting yourself because it was just for a “second”? Wear your equipment before you begin handling the animal!!!

3. Collect the appropriate equipment. Equipment you need to include not limited to:

  • large contractor style trash bags(3 mm thick),
  • scalpels,
  • headlamp,
  • note pad and pen
  • shovel,
  • camera, for documentation
  • Personal Protection Equipment:
    • protective eye goggles,
    • properly sized surgical gloves (multiple sets),
    • Tyvek suite,
    • rubber boots,
    • duct tape to seal any gaps
    • insect repellent,
    • waterless hand sanitizer and wipes, and
    • N95 respirator (minimum). Cleaning supplies will be necessary if your mask is not disposable.

Before wearing your respirator, get fit tested and medically cleared. Respirators reduce air flow. Individuals who have trouble breathing may suffer respiratory distress while wearing a respirator. You also must have a written Respiratory Protection Plan. To see what is involved visit http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=12716  If you want to read something in English rather than Governmentese then visit http://www.ehso.com/respprotection02.htm.

Bottom Line

Food for thought. Understand that the information here is a suggested minimum standard. Ultimately, the level of protection you need is dependent on a lot of variables that haven’t been accounted for here. It is possible that you need less protection in certain circumstances. However, you also may need more protection. The key is to err on the side of caution.

Always monitor your health in the weeks following necropsy work. Zoonotic infections mimic the symptoms of the Flu. Always tell your physician that you work with wildlife and may have been exposed to zoonotic diseases. Doing so could save your life.

About the Author

Stephen M. Vantassel is a certified wildlife control operator who helps individuals, businesses, and agencies resolve wildlife damage issues through training, writing, expert witness, and research. His latest book is the Wildlife Damage Inspection Handbook, 3rd edition. He can be contacted at wildlifecontrolconsultant at gmail dot com.

If you would like your publication, video, or product reviewed, please contact the author at the e-mail above.

Copyright

All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome

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CDC provides quality information on diseases of concern to public health such as Hantavirus. Image via Wikipedia

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome

Hantavirus infection is a serious disease contracted from inhaling or coming into physical contact with droppings and rodents contaminated with the virus. With a 30% death rate for those infected, it is scary enough to warrant caution.

Don’t be Paranoid Get Educated

The challenge in getting information on zoonotic diseases is to find information that is both accurate and readable. Thankfully, the good people at the Centers for Disease Control have created a booklet on the subject.

Download your pdf at http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/pdf/HPS_Brochure.pdf . You will be glad you did.

About the Author

Stephen M. Vantassel is a certified wildlife control professional and is available for consultation, writing, research, and public speaking about wildlife damage management issues and the dangers of the animal rights protest industry.

 

 

 

 

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Getting WCOs Prepared for Zoonotics

Getting WCOs Prepared for Zoonotics

Zoonotics are diseases transmitted from wildlife to humans. While trappers have been working with wildlife for centuries, it is still important for wildlife control operators to be aware of the zoonotics risks involved in controlling wildlife.

Doctors Are Not Looking for Zoonotics

Medical students have a saying, “When you hear hoof beats, don’t look for zebras.” The point is think of the obvious causes not the obscure. House M.D. may make good T.V. but it’s not normal or typical medicine. Unfortunately, for WCOs we’re not normal. Unlike the general public, we are involved and in close contact with wildlife. So make sure you remind your doctor that you work with wildlife.

Get Educated

Read the policy of the USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services regarding zoonotics http://www.aphis.usda.gov/library/forms/pdf/APHIS260a.pdf   It can provide your company with a good start for establishing policies to protect your employees from zoonotics.

 

Carry the Card

To help remind your worker and his/her doctor that these ordinary sniffles might be from a zoonotic origin, have them carry the “card.”  Use the wording found here http://www.aphis.usda.gov/library/forms/pdf/APHIS260a.pdf and put your own company info on it. Remind your workers regularly to ensure that they show medical personnel about their activities with wildlife.

While the illness may not be zoonotic in origin, it might. It is good to be safe.

About the Author

Stephen M. Vantassel is a certified wildlife control operator who writes, speaks, and consults about wildlife damage management issues.

 

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Human Disease and Wildlife Disease

Human Disease and Wildlife Disease

Many people like to live in the country to get “closer” to nature. While love of wildlife and wild lands is commendable, it is important to recognize that risks accompany the back-to-nature movement. Just consider the following quote, from a USGS publication “Disease Emergence and Resurgence: The Human-Wildlife Connection:

“According to Dr. Mark Woolhouse from the University of Edinburgh (Scotland), humans are plagued by 1,709 known pathogens, 832 of which are zoonotic (49 percent). Of the156 of these diseases that are considered “emerging,” 114 are zoonotic (73 percent). On the list of high-priority agents of concern for bioterrorism activities from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 80 percent are zoonoses (CDC A and B lists). Therefore, the wildlife-human-domestic animal connections are nearly impossible to ignore when investigating wildlife disease.”  Elsewhere I have heard that of the 335 novel infectious diseases reported between 1940-2004, 60.3% came from animals, typically wild ones.   For example, SARS, the serious respiratory infection came from horseshoe bats.

So in light of these statistics, what should people do?

How Wildlife Transfer Diseases to Humans

First, they should consider the various ways diseases from wildlife transfer to humans. According to the USGS publication chapter 1, diseases from wildlife are transferred to humans through

  1. Consumption of infected wild game
  2. Contaminated mouth parts and claws of animals
  3. Arthropod bites
  4. Contact with infected wildlife
  5. Contact with infected water
  6. Ingestion with infected water
  7. Aerosols from infected environments
  8. Laboratory acquired infections

Tips to Reduce Risk of Contracting Diseases from Wildlife

The second step is to reduce your risk to wildlife infections. The strategy is straightforward, if not always easy to implement. You simply need to decrease your exposure and contact to diseases through the following ways. Note these tips are NOT exhaustive and should not be construed to guarantee protection from wildlife diseases.

  1. Learn to identify risk bearing situations
  2. Understand disease life-history
  3. Wear appropriate personal protective equipment
  4. Undergo vaccinations (if available)
  5. Avoid disease vectors, such as insects that carry disease
  6. Thoroughly cook food
  7. Drink clean or sanitized water
  8. Wash hands and body after contact with wildlife and wildlife contaminated areas, particularly when exposed to bodily fluids.
  9. Inform your doctor that you have been involved with wildlife when you encounter flu-like symptoms. (Doctors don’t typically think of zoonotic diseases when patients exhibit flu-like symptoms).
  10. Consult CDC.gov for more information.

Stephen M. Vantassel is a Certified Wildlife Control Professional (CWCP) by the National Wildlife Control Operators Association (NWCOA) and writes and speaks on wildlife related topics.

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