Not too long ago, angling writer Ken Townley, following one of his regular jaunts to France to fish for carp, fell ill and eventually the illness was diagnosed as Weils Disease. Weils Disease is an infection caused by a bacterium that is carried in the urine of rodents, rats in particular. It gets into the human body through open wounds, abrasions and ingestion of contaminated food and water. All of which makes it particularly dangerous to anglers who often fish in rat infested places and eat and drink whilst they’re there. The majority without washing their hands. Thankfully, Ken is well on the road to recovery, but he’s one of the lucky ones as Weils Disease is deadly and hard to diagnose by a GP who has no experience of it. With symptoms not unlike common flu, only more severe, this is not surprising.
So the question is, what can we do about it? The answer is to steer clear of any rat infested fisheries or, make absolutely sure you do not do anything that brings anything that could be contaminated in contact with your mouth or anywhere on your body where the skin is broken. Do not, for example, put line into your mouth to lubricate knots, nor eat or drink with soiled hands. There are few waters that do not have either a large or small population of rats and other rodents, so short of packing in fishing altogether, the realistic answer is to make sure your hands stay as clean and bacteria-free as possible and to cover all cuts and abrasions with a waterproof plaster or other dressing. It is not always feasible to take soap and water and a clean towel, and besides, ordinary soap will not kill all germs, and washing your hands with soap in the lake or river isn’t a good thing to do for the good of the fishery. What we need is a hand cleaner that will kill practically all germs, one that doesn’t require soap, water or even a towel.
One such product seems to be ideal for anglers. It’s called Magic Hand Sanitizer and it costs a mere £ 1.59 for a small bottle (about the size of a bottle of Kryston’s Klin-ik) that provides 100 applications. It claims it can kill 99.99% of germs within 15 seconds of being applied. It comes in two types, a mint flavoured one for adults and a strawberry flavoured one for kids. Neither flavour should affect your bait. Indeed, they may even enhance it. All you do is squeeze a small drop onto the palm of one hand and then rub it into both hands, covering all areas. Within seconds it dries as you’re rubbing, leaving your hands completely dry and germ free. This type of product isn’t new; you can buy larger bottles of hand sanitizers in most chemist’s shops. But that’s the trouble, the containers are too big to be handy for anglers. It was our own Jeff ‘Woody’ Woodhouse who discovered Magic in his local Asda and was kind enough to send me a sample of each flavour. Like Jeff, I have now bought more bottles of Magic so that I have one in every tackle bag I use. At £ 1.59 a bottle it isn’t worth being without. And apparently there are small bottles of hand sanitizers from other manufacturers in drug stores and other outlets. More facts here about Weils Disease, courtesy of FM Member Mark Vernel Weil’s Disease? (Leptospirosis) Weil’s disease is an infection carried in rats urine which contaminates water and banks of lakes, ponds and rivers. The disease, which is notifiable is serious and requires hospital treatment. Symptoms start 3 to 19 days after exposure to contaminated water. Early symptoms are similar to ‘Flu’. So go see a doctor and say you have been near contaminated water that may have Weils Disease and ask the doctor for a blood test to be carried out. A few sensible precautions
An attack of Weil’s Disease resembles a cold or flu in the initial stages. The incubation period is from 3 to 19 days. Early Symptoms are: Fever, Muscular aches and pains, loss of appetite, nausea when lying down. Later Symptoms may include: Bruising of the skin, Sore eyes, Nose bleeds, Jaundice. The fever lasts for approximately five days, then a significant deterioration follows. If untreated, Weil’s Disease can be serious and/or become FATAL. If you become ill a few days after a fishing trip, and you have any of the above symptoms, it is extremely important to contact your doctor as soon as possible. You must tell your doctor that you suspect Weil’s Disease, as many of them do not associate it with influenza symptoms without a helpful hint. Treatment with antibiotics is only effective if started rapidly after symptoms develop. A blood test is conducted to determine the presence of Weil’s Disease, the Public Health Laboratory receiving the test should perform an ELISA test for Leptospirosis. If in the United Kingdom, and the local PHL cannot perform an ELISA test, the sample should be sent to: The Leptospirosis Reference Unit, Public Health Laboratory, County Hospital, Hereford HR1 2ER. Telephone 0432 277707. This contact is for UK use only, by the doctor or PHL staff only. Weil’s Disease is a notifiable illness in the UK and it is essential to disclose a confirmed case to the local Public Health office, who will need to know where you believe it was caught. Finally, don’t take any chances whatsoever, if you have only a sneaking suspicion that you may have contracted WD, go see your GP and tell him you want it checked out. |
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