Are you exposed?
Why PMPs should take precaution with personal protective equipment
By DR. STUART MITCHELL
During your workday, are you exposed? As a pest management professional (PMP), you have become quite competent in rodent management. While you serve public health by controlling rodent populations, are you serving your own good health by eliminating your exposure to rodent-borne pathogens?
Rats and mice vector more than 35 diseases. Diseases spread directly to humans via rodent handling, and contact with blood, saliva, bites, scratches, urine, scats, carrion and others. Diseases spread indirectly to humans via fleas, ticks and mites that feed on infected rodents.
One potentially serious disease spread via rodent urine and scats is salmonellosis. Additionally, birds, rabbits, cats, dogs, pigs, goats, sheep, horses, cattle, monkeys, snakes, lizards and wildlife spread salmonella. Consuming water or food that is contaminated by rodent scats generally spreads the disease.
Salmonellosis is a common bacterial infection of the gut. Symptoms include fever, headache, cramps, mild to severe bloody diarrhea and occasional vomiting. Blood infections can be very serious. Typhoid fever is the most severe type of salmonella infection.
Within six to 72 hours after infection, fever and diarrhea occur. Incubation periods of up to 16 days have been observed when exposed to low salmonella doses. The bacteria can be carried for several days and possibly many months.
To prevent nosocomial infections, hand washing is essential as salmonella is found in both feces and diarrhea. If you are generally healthy, treatment includes drinking lots of water to prevent dehydration and prescribed antibiotics.
When conducting rodent control services, you should assume potential pathogen exposures exist and take appropriate precautions. The essential precaution is the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
All PPE must be used in accordance with OSHA regulations (29 CFR 1910 Subpart I: Personal Protective Equipment). Companies should ensure all technicians receive training and then demonstrate an understanding of when to use PPE; what PPE is necessary; how to properly put on, use, take off, properly dispose of and maintain PPE; and the limitations of PPE.
PMPs should comply with the following protocol while on the job:
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