Across the United States, a variety of poisonous and infectious insects and animals pose potential health hazards. Workers should be aware of these risks before beginning work at any specific location.
Rabies
Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system of both animals and humans. Early symptoms in humans often resemble those of other viral infections, such as fever, headache, and respiratory or gastrointestinal issues.
In the U.S., raccoons, skunks, foxes, and coyotes are the terrestrial animals most commonly infected with rabies. Any bites from these wild animals should be treated as potential exposures to the rabies virus.
Leptospirosis (Weil’s Disease)
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that can affect both humans and animals, caused by bacteria from the genus Leptospira. Weil’s Disease is a severe form of leptospirosis in humans. Infection can occur through direct contact with the urine, blood, or tissues of infected animals, including cattle, pigs, dogs, and rats.
The incubation period ranges from 2 days to 4 weeks. Initial symptoms often appear suddenly and may include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, vomiting, or diarrhea. After a brief recovery period, the illness can return. Without proper treatment, leptospirosis can lead to serious complications such as kidney damage, meningitis (inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord), liver failure, respiratory distress, and even death.