January 2002 Volume 83 Number 1 "serving the protectors"

Is anthrax an issue for Australian cops?

There is an urgent call from the public asking for help. You are the first of the emergency services to arrive. You investigate, pick up some letters and other articles and get covered by some fine dust. Is this anthrax?

You put your gloves and mask on, take the offending articles away and secure the area. Have you just become the first person in Australia to get anthrax? Will the doctors be able to treat it? The answer is YES.

If you have any real concern, or any reason to believe you have come into contact with anthrax and consult a medical practitioner about the possibility, then you are on the right track.

Once the doctor knows of your possible exposure, he or she can follow up with the right treatment. The biggest problem is likely to be that you did not think about possible infection and treatment begins too late. Even then, it can usually be treated, but the earlier the better. Simple antibiotics – readily available in Australia – can cure Anthrax. But, if a real risk is thought to exist, or it is in any case possible, consider vaccination.

The workplace is also a risk for other infections. So what about treatment for them, and protection? Both hepatitis A and B now have effective vaccines, and long-term protection is available from these vaccinations.

Hepatitis C vaccine is not available, but new treatments with fewer side effects now mean that more can be done. Recent evidence suggests immediate treatment after contact can stop infection getting hold, so the prognosis is not as bad as it used to be.

HIV/AIDS no longer has to be feared through ignorance. We know how it is transferred and how to watch for the first signs of infection. We also have treatments available to help any infection. Better still, there is treatment to stop any infection developing between the first needle jab and before the infection takes hold. Gone are the days when one had to wait six months – from the time of exposure – to know if one was suffering from a serious infection. Remember to talk to your doctor early: say exactly what your fears are and what you think might have happened. Delays can be tragic and treatments are changing. If you aren’t sure, get it checked out.

New vaccines also give you a chance to avoid infections that others might have suffered. Chicken pox vaccine will allow you to avoid 10 days of sickness and decrease the chance of painful shingles when you get older. Whooping cough affects adults and you can have a vaccination every time you get a tetanus booster (Boostrix). Remember any male with sore testicles after mumps – not a pretty sight, and we know all people between the ages of 18 and 30 are at higher risk. Don’t take a chance – get the MMR vaccine, which is available from any doctor.

New vaccines and treatments mean you can be looked after better if you seek early treatments when you believe you have been exposed to something at work. Even if it is not something work-related you want protection from, get advice in advance.

You should also think about most medical conditions in the same way now – that is, to prevent the problem rather than treating it. If you get something, treat it early. Heart disease can be stopped in much the same way. So, if it has been more than two years since you last thought about what you can be protected from, then talking to a doctor now might be the answer. Rapid medical advances mean it is a new world out there, so don’t take risks you don’t need to take.

Your questions answered

Dr Pearce will answer questions on any health issue important to you. For his response, write to or fax the Police Journal with your question. Those who write need not identify themselves.

• Police Journal, PO Box 6128, Halifax St, Adelaide, SA, 5000
• Internal dispatch, post code 168
• Fax: 8231 0855

If you prefer to correspond by e-mail, send messages to the associate editor
(brettwilliams@policejournalsa.org.au).

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