A study to assess the prevalence of leptospirosis among rodents, dogs and farm animals in Dominica was officially launched on Tuesday.
That study will also identify risk factors contributing to the transmission of the disease among particular occupations.
It is being organized by the Environmental Health Department in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). PAHO contributed US$15,000 towards the project.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Environment, Helen Royer said the transmission of leptospirosis in Dominica is of major concern to the ministry of health, “since we have had numerous cases reported since 2010.”
“This disease has been known to be associated with the contact with rodents and other domestic farm animals worldwide with numerous species of the organism being attributed to human diseases,” Royer said at an opening ceremony on Tuesday.
According to her, National Environmental and Epidemiological surveillance have not been able to specifically identify the source of transmission and, therefore, the numerous risk factors associated with its spread.
“In order to adequately prevent and control the spread of leptospirosis the need to study the factors contributing to its transmission is necessary,” Royer noted.
She noted further that some of the main objectives of the study are “to assess the rodent population at selected urban and rural areas, to map the environmental risk factors associated with the transmission of leptospirosis within the selected occupations, improve the knowledge base on risk factors associated with the transmission of leptospirosis in Dominica and to build Dominica’s capacity to monitor and prevent the transmission of leptospirosis.”
Royer indicated that the study will be conducted over a period of six months and is expected to analyze blood and urine samples from animals which potentially transmit leptospirosis.
“We will also conduct an urban rodent survey to assess the rodent population in both Roseau and Portsmouth to assist us to chat a way forward for our national rodent control programme,” she said. “The findings of this research, therefore, will inform decisions to reduce the potential for transmission of leptospirosis in the country and build upon the knowledge base regarding this disease, not only in Dominica but regionally as well.”
She said the success of the study will depend on the cooperation of the public since assessment will be conducted at homes, business place, farms and other areas where the public frequent.
Royer revealed that she is not aware of any present cases of leptospirosis in Dominica
Meantime, Chief Environmental Health Officer, Anthony Scotland said since 2010 there have been a re-emergence of vector-borne diseases namely leptospirosis.
“In 2011 Dominica records the biggest experience of an outbreak of leptospirosis, that is 29 cases with 4 deaths, as compared to 27 cases in 1981,” he said.
Scotland mentioned that there are some risk factors that expose people to leptospirosis.
Just another talk-shop.
We’ve seen and heard it all before.
Time and date for action is what the people want! Tired of this ‘workshop’ crap. Just another way to justify the wastage of tax-payers money…
I agree with you 110%.
Provide poison to all areas to kill these rodents. It’s shocking at times to be walking in Roseau and to see huge rats walking alongside me in the drains.
Long ago litter was burnt because there were no trucks to pick up wastes. Now ,the gov’t provides trucks to pick up the litter but the trucks does not come on a regular basis. I have realized that people dump their litter/rubbish next to the road sides ,this is a hazard to the public because the litter is a good sauce of food for rodents ,when rodents are well fed they reproduce faster .Solutions should be taken by the gov’t such as asking the public to take their litter to the truck ,the day which is ordered by the gov’t ,notices should be placed in the
public ,stating that dumping litter or fly tipping is prohibited by law and any one caught doing so will be punished by a serious fine,people should keep their surroundings clean to avoid proliferation of rodents,farmers especially should thoroughly wash their hands before eating,change their farming clothes every day and wash them separately,rinse them finally with hot water,no food should be eaten after being bitten by rodents…