UCD Canoe Club

General => Resources => Topic started by: kmck on October 02, 2011, 18:33:56

Title: Leptospirosis
Post by: kmck on October 02, 2011, 18:33:56
http://www.leptospirosis.org/

Basically this is a disease that can and does affect kayakers. At present we know that most cases reported among Kayakers in Ireland originate from the liffey particulary from the sluice. I'm part of a project which is testing water in the area. This is ongoing and we don't have results yet. It will also involve alot more work to get a clear pisture of the risk factors abiotic and biotic before we can make big difinative statements.

Here is what we can say
When it's dry it's dead. So dry your wet gear and boats after paddling in the liffey. Don't leave them to percolate for a few days in a dry bag.
If it's too cold the disease can't survive in water anything above 10c is a risk factor.
Cover cuts with water proof bandages. I've been thinking spray on bandages might be a better option for paddling. There are a number of liquid bandages on the market.
Shower after being in the liffey.
Use dry handwash before eating after the liffey.

Symptoms
Flu like symptoms developing within 10 to 14 days of exposure.
http://www.leptospirosis.org/topic.php?t=30

If you've questions you're lucky enough to have Jer to ask as he had it. It is rare but it does happen and forewarned is forearmed.

TL;DR
1. It's really really really rare.
2. If you've got a flu 1-2 weeks after a river trip tell your doctor.
3. It's really really really goddamn rare. There are significantly more lottery winners a year in Ireland than there are reported cases of leptospirosis.
Title: Re: Weils disease
Post by: Eoghan on October 03, 2011, 09:20:25
But also to say to freshers - this is just to make you aware of it. Same as above - it is RARE! and any chance of catching it can be kept very low by washing your hands after the trip and before eating etc...
Title: Re: Weils disease
Post by: Jer on October 04, 2011, 12:22:32
Also, you won't get it from swallowing water, it can't cope in low* pH conditions.

Not that you should be drinking liffey water in the first place.

REALLY REALLY REALLY BLOODY RARE

*the leaving certs been a long time...
Title: Re: Weils disease
Post by: Ley-Ley on October 04, 2011, 13:17:36
Don't fool around with Eoghan either, that's a sure way to get it, ask Jer.
Title: Re: Weils disease
Post by: kmck on October 04, 2011, 14:14:50
Cough cough low pH your mouth is around 5 your stomach around 1-2. Even your mouth as you sleep drops to 4. Lepto like 6-9 range higher kills it lower kills it. Rare, very rare but good to be cautious.
Title: Re: Weils disease
Post by: Eoghan on October 04, 2011, 14:52:04
Don't fool around with Eoghan either, that's a sure way to get it, ask Jer.

Jer had to learn that the hard way  8)


and in case anyone was unsure:

IT'S REALLY REALLY RARE!!!
Title: Re: Weils disease
Post by: Matt on October 04, 2011, 16:54:37
how rare?
Title: Re: Weils disease
Post by: kmck on October 04, 2011, 17:02:33
Just a little over pink! In the population at large or among Kayakers? Give us a couple of months and we'll have some answers.
Title: Re: Weils disease
Post by: Eoghan on October 04, 2011, 17:26:22
I haven't heard of many lottery winners...  afro.gif
Title: Re: Weils disease
Post by: Diarmaid on October 04, 2011, 18:57:02
Mmmm... I like my leptospirosis like I like my steak.
Title: Re: Weils disease
Post by: kmck on October 04, 2011, 19:32:28
Since I joined the club we've had 7 from our club( those individuals would have spent a huge amount of time at the sluice). That's out of around 140 river trips with up to 50 people on them average of 24 so so it's a 1/480 chance kind of ish. Do I think it's likely, no. Do I follow the precautions anyway, yes. Same as looking both ways when crossing a road or washing your hands after going to the toilet.
To recap:
Cover cuts and grazes with either a waterproof bandage or spray on bandage.
Wash hands with hand wash before eating, though ingestion is very very very rare method of transmission
Shower after the river
Wash and dry out your paddling gear

If and it is a big if you come down with flu like symptoms within 21 days of paddling tell your doctor to suspect leptosporsis or weil's. They may do a blood test but due to the rarity they won't think to do it unless you tell them. This is a rare condition, so much so it was used on House MD.
Title: Re: Weils disease
Post by: Jer on October 04, 2011, 20:34:29
Anecdotal evidence aside, there's only a handful of reported cases in Ireland a year and that's out of a significantly larger pool of people than just kayakers.

how rare?

SUPER DUPER ULTRA RARE!
Title: Re: Weils disease
Post by: Matt on October 04, 2011, 21:13:25
SUPER DUPER ULTRA RARE!

Sorry, I'm not following... so you say it's rare? Like it doesn't happen all that often? Is that what you're saying?

Seriously though, folks, if we all stop kissing rats (no matter how attractive they might be), we should all be fine. I think what I've gathered from reading this post is that's it's pretty rare. But like the man from the Durex ad says... it's better to be safe than sorry.
Title: Re: Weils disease
Post by: Nuala on October 04, 2011, 21:36:33
I think it's one of those things that are literally one in a million. It's just that if it's caught earlier it's no worse than a flu, but if it's missed it can be nasty.
Title: Re: Weils disease
Post by: Ley-Ley on October 04, 2011, 22:15:50
It doesn't exist, there, now no one is gonna be worried.
Title: Re: Weils disease
Post by: Maryanne on October 05, 2011, 00:05:18
IT'S REALLY REALLY RARE!!!

REALLY REALLY REALLY BLOODY RARE

SUPER DUPER ULTRA RARE!
Sorry, I'm not following... so you say it's rare? Like it doesn't happen all that often? Is that what you're saying?

Seriously though, folks, if we all stop kissing rats (no matter how attractive they might be), we should all be fine. I think what I've gathered from reading this post is that's it's pretty rare. But like the man from the Durex ad says... it's better to be safe than sorry.

Oh Matt...I lolled  ;D

As the person with probably the worst immune system in the club, I'd like to point out that it's so rare I (that's ME!) haven't been able to catch it.

NOW THAT'S RARE
Title: Re: Weils disease
Post by: Maryanne on October 05, 2011, 00:11:35
And to clear things up, I asked Google Translate:

No disease can affect and canoeists. Now I know in part the cause of the Liffey, the kayakers in Ireland is said to have more. I am by the water in the front part of your image. The improvement is due to work is not in us. We need much clearer and before the danger of abiotic pisture PRACTICES definative great here.

What we can say
If the drought is dead. For dry, wet and equipment based on the Liffey to drink to paddle. Not penetrate dry a few days in their bag.
If it is too cold nor survive the threat of disease is a maker of water around 10c.
We WATERPROOF few casts. I thought you were better in the context SPRAY well-SRO. There are plenty of fluids is related to the market.
Liffey after rain.
Liffey until the ideas dry hands before eating.

simply
Window provides maximum within 14 days of the flu, as it was 10 here.

So basically, if you're in an and-canoe, no disease can affect you and you can use your ideas to dry your hands.
Title: Re: Weils disease
Post by: Nuala on October 05, 2011, 00:25:28
So from that we learn that google translate knows what causes the Liffey:
Now I know in part the cause of the Liffey ... Liffey after rain.
This is good to know if a little obvious.

That you shouldn't go swimming if you have any fracture in a plaster cast (but use a lot of deoderant as you can't shower):
We WATERPROOF few casts. I thought you were better in the context SPRAY well

And that the recent lack of water levels has something to do with the recession.
There are plenty of fluids is related to the market.

Thanks for clearing that up, things could have been really confusing otherwise.
Title: Re: Weils disease
Post by: kmck on October 05, 2011, 08:45:50
Knowing what I know, I will still be on the liffey on Saturday for the liffey descent and hopefully out on Sunday as well. We take calculated risks in paddling all the time, knowledge and experience teaches you when to walk and when to run a rapid, here knowledge tells you to take precautions. Be like a Kerryman wearing belt and braces; to be sure, to be sure(take that Rory!).

To get back to the guys theme, if it was any rarer it would still be eating grass and mooing.