Stratford A&P Show: Wellness a focus at this year’s show with leptospirosis testing

Testing for leptospirosis is on offer at the wellness area at the Stratford A&P Show. Photo / Getty Images

This year’s Stratford A&P Show will feature a dedicated area for farmer wellbeing.

The tented area will be manned by members of the Rural Support Trust, local Rural Women New Zealand members and representatives of Massey University’s school of Veterinary Science.

Margaret Vickers, a member of Rural Women New Zealand, says the university will be offering testing for exposure to leptospirosis, a bacterial disease that affects humans and animals.

“The university has linked up with our organisation to come to the Waverley and Stratford shows to carry out further studies and testing to keep the research going to eradicate this disease, plus protect our rural families.”

The research is a cause close to the heart of Rural Women New Zealand members, she says.

“Years ago, Rural Women New Zealand nationally raised thousands of dollars to get this research under way, and that research is still ongoing now.”

Rural Women New Zealand records show it was the small but determined Tarurutangi branch of what was then known as the Women’s Division of Federated Farmers (WDFF) that spearheaded a national project to raise funds for research into the eradication of leptospirosis.

Members of the group, based in north Taranaki, held a public meeting in Waitara’s War Memorial Hall in October 1973 to educate the public about the disease and to push for research into what was described at the time as being " a real problem in Taranaki”.

Fast-forward 50 years and the disease is still a problem, causing fatigue, headaches, coughs and stomach upsets in patients, with 50 per cent of them reporting the fatigue as being still present a year after first getting sick, according to figures put out by Massey University.

Risk factors include not covering skin cuts, cleaning urine or faeces from surfaces, having creek or rainwater supplies at work and contact with cattle, making farmers particularly vulnerable.

Current data from Massey University show around 70 per cent of people suspected to have Leptospirosis aren’t tested for it, something the research team wants to change.

Margaret says the Wellness Area will be at the Stratford A&P Show both days, and she encourages people to pop in, have a chat and consider getting tested for exposure to leptospirosis.