Hazards of horse manure?

On 13 Nov 2005 14:20:48 -0800, wrote:

Hi all,

The weather has turned sloppy and I find myself riding on bike paths
and trails that have at times large quantitlies of horse manure on
them. Mixed in with a primordial soup of rotten leaves, dead worms,
road grime, and other sundries. Since it has been raining for weeks now
there is spray everywhere and some of this manure ends up on my water
bottle and presumably in my mouth.

How much effort should I put into not consuming trace amounts of
manure? What are the potential infections, etc one risks in such a
situation? I ask this becuse I have been quite ill for 3 days now and
have not eaten anything that was not also eaten by my family, nor have
I been anywhere they have not been, besides on wet sloppy rides, and
they are fine.

Coliform bacteria are just the start of what's likely to be in that
muck. Until the trails clear up so that your water bottle isn't being
contaminated, I'd strongly recommend carrying it in a large belt pack,
or using a hydration backpack instead.

Meanwhile, get thee to a physician, sirrah; you probably have a
giardia, coli, or other gastrointestinal infestation. Untreated, many
of these can lead to severe dehydration and grave risk. Literally.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
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wrote:


there is spray everywhere and some of this manure ends up on my water
bottle and presumably in my mouth.
I would suggest a shot against tetanus. In the wintertime I get small wounds
on my hands and when I change a tire after riding through horse manure
there's a risk of getting tetanus.

I just wouldn't eat to much of the stuff, since the taste seems to be a bit
odd I was told. However: mushrooms are grown on horse manure, so I wouldn't
stress about it. After all: you're still alife after having consumed at
least traces of it.

Greets, Derk

Pat wrote:
: There are many diseases transmitted from animals to humans. West Nile,
: Lyme, and Anthrax are all examples of diseases common to horses and
: humans. I can't say if fecal matter is a vector for these, however. Were
: it me, I'd make a great effort not to ingest horse fecal matter. Unlike
: others here, I think your concerns valid.

I didn't say his concerns weren't valid; I said he should tell this stuff to
his doctor. We can't diagnose his illness and we can't cure him. Another
little bug he could have? Giardia lamblia. And all his posting to newsgroups
isn't going to get rid of that one!



I'm not looking for a diagnosis, but rather useful information. It has
been my experience that the cumulative knowledege found in the regulars
of a good newsgroup such as this is far greater than any one local
expert I have access to. No matter what the subject. Be it medicine,
physics, chemistry, tubular glue, you name it. Someone here knows lots
about everything.

If I go to a doctor (which will involve sitting around in a waiting
room, filling out forms, and getting sent to different places all while
trying to keep my sphincter closed) all I will get is, "Take it easy,
drink fluids, and come back if it doesn't get better. You can pay at
the cashier." (I will spare everyone my opinion of socialized medicine
as practiced in Norway) When I start asking about horse manure on bike
paths, the doc's eyes will glaze over and I will get referred to some
type of group therapy!

I will eventually get better, none the wiser as to whether splattered
manure on my bottle is a hazard worth avoiding. If the chance for
infection is of lotto magnitude, I won't bother with wasting time
finding bottles with caps, or risking crashing by wiping the bottles
and eyeing them for crud everytime I drink instead of watching where I
am going. But perhaps it is not.

I've lost 6 kg in the last 3 days, and if I am not improving by
tommorrow I will go see a doctor, which may help my current situation,
but it is prevention I am really interested in.

Joseph

Derk wrote:

I missed the part where you tell you're ill. You could have a virus, but you
could also have a bacterial infection of course. Though there are many
horses and manure here, I've never had some illness after drinking water
from a dirty waterbottle. When I see it's filthy I don't drink out of it
any more, since it doesn't look that attractive to dribnk from it.

I would also see a doctor if things get worse or if it lasts a long time.
They can always take a sample and see if you have any bacteria that are
strange to the human body.

Greetings, Derk

wrote:

How much effort should I put into not consuming trace amounts of
manure?

As much effort as is necessary to avoid consuming manure. Yes plants
grow in it, but it should be composted first. The use of uncomposted
manure as fertilizer in commercial agriculture (not to mention the use
of sewer sludge) is a dangerous practice. Bacteria and viri are very
small and there can be huge numbers in a small amount of carrier.

Zefal waterbottles come with a plastic cover. But a better bet would be
full coverage fenders and mudflaps. Could save you a lot of misery. You
will need the clearance to avoid them blocking up though.

6kg loss and three days of illness is a lot. See a doctor. Home cure is
to eat only yogourt with active bacterial cultures for a day or two.
Will not work for viral infection, or bacteria that produce serious
toxins.

Horse manure carries tetanus, which can enter through even very tiny
scratches. Get a shot, now.

http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/t0756e/T0756E07.htm

On Mon, 14 Nov 2005 03:27:16 +0000, Werehatrack wrote:

On 13 Nov 2005 14:20:48 -0800, wrote:

Hi all,

The weather has turned sloppy and I find myself riding on bike paths
and trails that have at times large quantitlies of horse manure on
them. Mixed in with a primordial soup of rotten leaves, dead worms,
road grime, and other sundries. Since it has been raining for weeks now
there is spray everywhere and some of this manure ends up on my water
bottle and presumably in my mouth.

How much effort should I put into not consuming trace amounts of
manure? What are the potential infections, etc one risks in such a
situation? I ask this becuse I have been quite ill for 3 days now and
have not eaten anything that was not also eaten by my family, nor have
I been anywhere they have not been, besides on wet sloppy rides, and
they are fine.

Coliform bacteria are just the start of what's likely to be in that
muck. Until the trails clear up so that your water bottle isn't being
contaminated, I'd strongly recommend carrying it in a large belt pack,
or using a hydration backpack instead.

Meanwhile, get thee to a physician, sirrah; you probably have a
giardia, coli, or other gastrointestinal infestation. Untreated, many
of these can lead to severe dehydration and grave risk. Literally.

This was actually a big reason many off-road riders switched to Camelbacks
-- especially after a well-known racer was afflicted with Giardia. I got
it myself, probably from my water bottles being splashed during stream
crossings.

Matt O.

: I've lost 6 kg in the last 3 days, and if I am not improving by
: tommorrow I will go see a doctor, which may help my current situation,
: but it is prevention I am really interested in.
:
: Joseph

You remind me of my mother; she hates to go to the doctor so much that she
comes up with these scenarios as to what will happen at the doctor's office.
Then, she convinces herself that nothing will come of it, anyway. I always
wait until the end of the story and then say, "And where did you get your
medical diploma?"

Pat
:

Here in the US, we always say to travelers to Mexico, don't drink the
water, or drinks with ice in them. If you do the odds of a bad case of
diareah is over 50%. Any contaminated water on your bottle is the same
situation, a very good chance of getting sick.

wrote:
I will eventually get better, none the wiser as to whether splattered
manure on my bottle is a hazard worth avoiding.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
If the chance for infection is of lotto magnitude,
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

I won't bother with wasting time
finding bottles with caps, or risking crashing by wiping the bottles
and eyeing them for crud everytime I drink instead of watching where I
am going. But perhaps it is not.

I've lost 6 kg in the last 3 days, and if I am not improving by
tommorrow I will go see a doctor, which may help my current situation,
but it is prevention I am really interested in.

Joseph

wrote:



What part of a medical education involves forcing folks to wait in
confined spaces with other sick folks and to pay for dubious services?
Do you all live in Holland?

Greets, Derk

Pat wrote:
: I've lost 6 kg in the last 3 days, and if I am not improving by
: tommorrow I will go see a doctor, which may help my current situation,
: but it is prevention I am really interested in.
:
: Joseph

You remind me of my mother; she hates to go to the doctor so much that she
comes up with these scenarios as to what will happen at the doctor's office.
Then, she convinces herself that nothing will come of it, anyway. I always
wait until the end of the story and then say, "And where did you get your
medical diploma?"

Pat
:

What part of a medical education involves forcing folks to wait in
confined spaces with other sick folks and to pay for dubious services?
I'm with your mom on this one! :-)

Joseph