UK Registered Charity

British Divers Marine Life Rescue

Zoonotic Infections from Marine Mammals

To whom it may concern

The person presenting this letter is a trained volunteer ‘Marine Mammal Medic’ for the charity British Divers Marine Life Rescue.

Registered Charity On this occasion this person has reported feeling unwell after coming into direct contact England and Wales No: 803438 Scotland No: SC039304 with a stranded cetacean and may have been exposed to a pathogen(s) with zoonotic DIRECTORS potential. Alan Knight OBE BSc (Hons) Mark Stevens B.Ed (Hons) Geoff Hammock Differential diagnoses that may need to be considered include infections with: Dave Jarvis ICIOB, ACMI, MFOS Gavin Parsons Faye Archell FdA. Cert Ed  Marine mammal Brucella spp. Alistair Jack  Leptospira. COMPANY SECRETARY Susan Ovens  Mycobacterium species (e.g. M. marinum) PATRONS  Inﬂuenza. Kate Humble  Salmonella spp. Miranda Krestovnikoff Monty Halls  Campylobacter spp. Dr Martha Holmes Elizabeth Emanual Amanda Levick

The advice of the Brucella Reference Unit (BRU) is that it should be contacted (0151 VETERINARY CONSULTANTS James Barnett BSc (Hons) 5294900) in the event of any incident which may carry a significant risk of Brucella infection. BVSc MRCVS It also advises: Ian Robinson PhD BVSc Cert SHP MRCVS Paul Jepson PhD BVMS MRCVS Steve Bexton BVMS MRCVS 1. Post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) should be offered to all personnel classified as Jon Cracknell BVMS CertVA high risk. Doxycycline 100mg bd for 21 days is recommended. PEP for individual CertZooMed MRCVS Jo Hedley CertZooMed MRCVS cases can be discussed with either Dr Nick Beeching (0151 706 3835) or Dr Richard Darryl Thorpe BVSc MRCVS Sean Langton BVetMed CertVA Cooke (0151 520 4916) at the BRU. MRCVS

SCIENTIFIC CONSULTANTS 2. Serological testing is required on all personnel thought to have had high risk Mark Simmonds OBE exposures. Baseline serum samples with follow-up serum samples at 0, 6 and 24 Susan C Wilson PhD, LLM weeks are recommended. BRU will provide a specific ‘ILOG’ reference number BANKERS Cooperative Bank which should be included on the request form for all samples sent following the 26 Military Road Chatham exposure. Kent ME4 4JX A/C No. 6500422900 Thank you for your attention,

Alistair Jack Scottish Director & appointed Director of Health & Safety British Divers Marine Life Rescue

References T. B. Waltzek, G. Cortes-Hinojosa, J. F. X. Wellehan Jr.,Gregory C. Gray - Marine Mammal Zoonoses: A Review of Disease Manifestations

Head Office: Lime House, Regency Close, Uckfield, East Sussex TN22 1DS. 24 hour Telephone & Fax: 01825 765546. British Divers Marine Life Rescue is an internationally recognised marine animal rescue organisation, UK based and a Registered Charity. The aims of the organisation are to provide a rescue service for all marine wildlife, to provide support to all existing rescue centres and to develop new methods of treatment, transport and care. Email: [email protected] Web: www.bdmlr.org.uk British Divers Marine Life Rescue

T.D. Hunt, M.H. Ziccardi, F.M.D. Gulland, M.M. Manos, D.W. Hird, J.A.K. Mazet - Health and Safety Information for Marine Mammal Workers

Registered Charity England and Wales No: 803438 Scotland No: SC039304

DIRECTORS Alan Knight OBE BSc (Hons) Mark Stevens B.Ed (Hons) Geoff Hammock Dave Jarvis ICIOB, ACMI, MFOS Gavin Parsons Faye Archell FdA. Cert Ed Alistair Jack

COMPANY SECRETARY Susan Ovens

PATRONS Kate Humble Miranda Krestovnikoff Monty Halls Dr Martha Holmes Elizabeth Emanual Amanda Levick

VETERINARY CONSULTANTS James Barnett BSc (Hons) BVSc MRCVS Ian Robinson PhD BVSc Cert SHP MRCVS Paul Jepson PhD BVMS MRCVS Steve Bexton BVMS MRCVS Jon Cracknell BVMS CertVA CertZooMed MRCVS Jo Hedley CertZooMed MRCVS Darryl Thorpe BVSc MRCVS Sean Langton BVetMed CertVA MRCVS

SCIENTIFIC CONSULTANTS Mark Simmonds OBE Susan C Wilson PhD, LLM

BANKERS Cooperative Bank 26 Military Road Chatham Kent ME4 4JX A/C No. 6500422900

Head Office: Lime House, Regency Close, Uckfield, East Sussex TN22 1DS. 24 hour Telephone & Fax: 01825 765546. British Divers Marine Life Rescue is an internationally recognised marine animal rescue organisation, UK based and a Registered Charity. The aims of the organisation are to provide a rescue service for all marine wildlife, to provide support to all existing rescue centres and to develop new methods of treatment, transport and care. Email: [email protected] Web: www.bdmlr.org.uk