Weil's Disease

[MaryN]

After reading a few articles about collection of water, and with the prevalence of articles in the Press concerning the increasing invasion of rats, I thought I would sound a warning with regard to Weil’s Disease, or Leptospirosis as it is sometimes called. This is a particularly nasty disease caused by exposure to rat’s urine from rats infec ted with the bacteria Leptospira. In the more fortunate cases humans can suffer from mild flu-like symptoms, to more serious cases of organ failure, which in the worst case can result in paralysis or death.

Weil’s Disease is not a common disease in the UK, but if you are in contact with contaminated water then you could be at risk. That brings us onto the prepper-related subject of water collection. It is very important that any water you collect is secured from the invasion of rats. Rodents are not particularly sanitary animals at the best of times, and a bacteria-infected urine-dribbling rat sipping from your pond, pool, ditch, stream or lake could put you in the risk bracket. It is therefore very important to wear protective clothing if you are about to wade around in ditches or any source of freshwater. Stagnant water is obviously a more likely source of Weil’s than fast-flowing rivers or streams, but any freshwater source can be a problem. Make sure that any scratches or minor injuries that have been dunked in suspect water are thoroughly disinfected.

I realise that water collection and storage for future usage is part of the prepper creed to ensure survival, but Leptospira is not normally removed by water filtration. it is however killed by boiling the water.

Stay safe.

[Scythe13]

Good info Mary.

One thing I'd suggest, in regard to previous threads on the subject, keep water collection in containers as drinking water, and use the pond water to hydrate the crops and the alike.

[Devonian]

Very good point Mary, and something that will become a much bigger issue when people are sourcing water after TSHTF.

Also you do not even need to be drinking the water to contract Weil's disease, contact of contaminated water/urine with broken skin or a cut, or just contaminated water on your fingers and then you touch your face etc....... is enough.

Other animals such as cows and sheep can also have urine infected with Weils disease if people start butchering them or having greater contact with animals in general.

I was aware of the disease through my work, but hadn't previously given any consideration to it for the future. But this highlights the need for not only proper hygiene PSHTF, but also for making sure you have good supplies of protective gloves and that you avoid any form of contact with standing water sources in particular!

[CharlesHarris]

The safest procedure is to presume that ALL surface water is contaminated, and to rely in not less than two methods of treatment, such as filtration, to be followed by either chemical sterilization, boiling or UV.

[Tarrel]

Agree with the above, and also to consider most stored water to be "contaminated", purifying smaller quantities for consumption on an as-needed basis.

[bigpaul]

assume all(non rain) water to be contaminated and act accordingly.

[Sunna]

i sure david walliums [im not gay] got it when he swam the river thames for charity a while back.

didnt kill him...

[MaryN]

Actually, Sunna, I think I read something about that as well. Mind you, the Thames can't be the cleanest place to swim in.

[Devonian]

Walliams just had 'Thames Tummy', not Weils Disease.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/art...sease.html