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Working
with Sheeps & Goats
General
Characteristics
There
are several possible health risks from working
with sheep and goats. Most of these can be
avoided or minimize by proper handling and
adherence to proper precautions. Predominant
risks associated with working with sheep and
goats include allergies, physical trauma (e.g.
brusing from kicks or handling, back strain,
etc.), and zoonotic disease transmission.
GENERAL
PREVENTATIVE MEASURES
- Only
trained personnel should handle the animals
- Gloves
and protective clothing (such as coveralls)
should always be worn when working with animals
- Wash
hands before and after handling the animals
- When seeking medical attention inform the
attending physician and/or nurse that you
work with sheep and/or goats.
- Due
to the risk of disease transmission, do not
ingest milk or cheese products from these
animals.
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IMPORTANT
HEALTH RISKS
Physical
injury
Back strain or fatigue can occur while lifting
equipment and animals. Exercise caution when
lifting heavy animals or equipment. Ask for
assistance and use a lifting belt when heavy
lifting is necessary. Physical injury can
also occur as a result of animal kicks or
bites. The employee should be trained in proper
handling procedures to reduce these risks.
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Infectious
Diseases |
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Q-fever
Disease-causing rickettsial organism: Coxiella
burnetti is usually inapparent in animals
but may cause abortions.
- Source
of human infection: Exposure is through direct
contact or infected animal. The organism can
be present in barnyard dust.
- Transmission:
Airborne exposure through aerosolization of
infected particles (e.g. inhalation of barnyard
dust). Exposure to the placenta or milk
- Disease
in humans: Infected people will develop a
flu-like syndrome which may result in a chronic
endocarditis.
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Contagious
ecthyma (Orf)
Disease-causing organism is the orf virus. The
clinical manifestation of the animal is an infectious
dermatitis that primarily affects the lips of
young animals.
- Source
of human infection: Exposure is through direct
contact with lesions on the affected animal.
- Transmission:
Direct contact with animal lesions
- Disease
in humans: A dermatitis usually confined to
the hands and face. The lesions can be more
proliferative than in animals.
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Rabies
Disease-causing organism: Rabies virus can infect
almost any mammal. It is rare in the research
environment, but because of its devastating
potential, it remains a risk
- Source
of human infection: The infected animal. The
virus is shed in the animal’s saliva and
feces without clinical signs of rabies being
present. Any mammal exhibiting central nervous
system signs should be considered suspect for
rabies.
- Transmission:
Contact with saliva, mucus membranes, or blood.
Commonly transmitted through bites, or through
contamination of a person’s open wound
by contact with infected saliva, blood, or tissue.
- Disease
in humans: Rabies in unvaccinated people can
be fatal without immediate proper medical care.
Vaccinated individuals must still undergo prophylactic
treatment if potentially exposed by a rabies-positive
animal.
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Brucellosis
Disease-causing organism: Brucella melitensis can be a cause of reduced fertility in sheep
and goats.
- Source
of human infection: Direct contact with the
infected animal or ingestion of the milk or
cheese products from an infected animal
- Transmission:
Direct contact with the infected animal or ingestion
of the milk or cheese products from an infected
animal
- Disease
in humans: Can cause the disease in man, undulant
fever. Symptoms include fever, sweating, weakness,
malaise, and weight loss.
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| Gastrointestinal
disease-causing organisms
Protozoal: Cryptosporidiosis
Disease-causing organism: Cryptosporidium sp., a protozoan associated with many mammals
- Source
of human infection: Many mammals
- Transmission:
Fecal/oral
- Disease
in humans: Self-limiting diarrhea, except
in immunocompromised people where it can be
quite severe.
Bacterial:
Several
bacterial pathogens, including Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp., are frequently
associated with diarrhea in pigs and may also
cause disease in people.
- Source
of human infection: Symptomatic or asymptomatic
animals
- Transmission:
Fecal/oral
- Disease
in humans: Diarrhea
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