The NT Centre of Disease Control has issued an alert to warn wildlife hunters of the risk of leptospirosis and brucellosis, both diseases from wild animals can be acquired while hunting, butchering or skinning animals.

Centre for Disease Control director Dr Vicki Krause said hunters should be aware of the risk of getting diseases from animals and take precautions to avoid acquiring those diseases.

 “This means wearing adequate footwear, long-sleeved shirts and adequate clothing to minimise the risk of cuts and grazes while hunting. Wearing gloves while skinning and gutting animals and ensuring hands and contaminated skin is washed afterwards is also important,” Dr Krause said.

”If you become ill with a fever within two weeks of hunting then it is important to seek medical advice for diagnosis and treatment and tell the doctor of your hunting and outdoor  activities.”

Leptospirosis is acquired in swampy areas in the Top End, most recently near Harrison’s Dam on the Adelaide River flood plain.

 “Lepto”, as it is called, can be acquired through the skin or mouth, usually when walking through muddy or wet environments contaminated by infected animals, which excrete the bacteria in their urine.  The initial symptoms are fever, headache, muscle pain and red eyes. Sometimes people develop a cough or jaundice (yellow eyes).

Brucellosis, is associated with feral pigs and is likely acquired when skinning and gutting the animals. The symptoms are fever, sweating, headache, muscle and joint pain.

 “This is different from the infection causing brucellosis in cattle which was eradicated from Australia in the early 1990s.”

There are other infections which can be acquired from animals out bush such as Q fever, salmonella, scrub typhus and toxigenic E. coli infection. People who become unwell with fever after hunting should seek medical advice immediately. 

There have been 15 cases of leptospirosis notified in the NT since 2011. In two of these cases the disease was acquired overseas, with the remaining 13 acquired in NT. Of these cases, 12 were male. Leptospirosis occurs worldwide. However in the NT the Fogg Dam/Harrison Dam area outside of Darwin is home to a large population of native rats and people are known to have been infected in this area. Generally areas around water,  especially after flooding, are risk areas.

For further information see CDC’s fact sheet website.

Fred McCue – 0401 119 792