Minimising risks to farm visitors from animal bacteria

HSE Press Release: E046:04 - 7 April 2004

With summer on the way, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) is reminding farmers and others responsible for farmland which may be used for recreation, about the risk to visitors of ill health from organisms living in the guts of animals.

Graeme Walker, from HSE's agricultural sector, said: "All animal faeces contain infectious organisms, but our main concern is E coli O157 which has been the source of serious ill health in a number of investigated incidents. People walking or cycling in the countryside are at little risk from E coli O157. However risk increases when people eat and drink, during picnicking or camping, without first washing their hands."

E coli O157 is a bacterium that can be carried and excreted by cattle, sheep, deer and goats. Although the animals do not become ill, they can spread the organism to people by direct contact, and indirectly when faeces and manure are spread on farmland. Even very small amounts of E coli O157 can pose a severe risk, particularly for young children and elderly people.

In helping to reduce the risk HSE advises that, where possible, fields used for grazing or stockholding of animals should not be used for camping, picnicking, or play areas. If fields which have been used for grazing or stockholding animals are to be used for recreational purposes, the advice is as follows:

• keep animals off the fields for the three weeks prior to use and during it;
  
• remove visible dung - preferably at the beginning of the three week period;
  
• mow the grass - keep it short and remove the clippings before use;
  
• inform leaders of recreational/leisure groups (e.g. scouts, guides etc.) of the need for good hygiene practice (hand washing) and to treat drinking or personal washing water taken from streams;
  
• provide adequate washing facilities at organised recreational events such as car boot sales, fetes, shows etc.

Mr Walker concluded: "Following these precautions will not only reduce the risk from E coli O157, but also of other diseases that can be transmitted to people from animals. The message to everyone is keep contamination to a minimum, wash your hands thoroughly before eating or drinking and check that water is safe to drink."

Advice on protecting visitors against infections from animals at open farms can be found on the HSE website, in the form of a short video, at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/campaigns/farmsafe/ecoli.htm

Notes to editors

1. An incident occurred between 1-3 June 2001 when a troop of 20 Girl Guides and 4 Guiders were camped in huts at Bettyburn, Inverkip, Ayrshire, Scotland, 14 of whom became seriously ill when infected with E coli O157.

2. E coli O157 lives in the gut of animals including cattle, sheep, deer and goats. Without testing, it is not possible to tell if animals are infected with the bacterium. Farmers or landowners will not necessarily therefore be aware that their animals are infected.

3. E coli O157 can be contracted through contact with animals, but is more commonly contracted indirectly when peoples' hands are contaminated with animal faeces. The bacterium is then swallowed when people eat food, without first having washed their hands. It can also be contracted if people drink water from streams that have been contaminated with animal faeces without first treating the water.

4. A report by the joint Food Standards Agency/Scottish Executive task force on E coli O157 highlighting the risk of infection from recreation on farmland, which is the basis for HSE's advice, was published on 4 July 2001.

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