Parisian Gardeners Demand Vaccination Against Leptospirosis Due to Rat Proliferation

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Published on
Wednesday, June 14, 2023 9:18 AM
by the Meilleurtaux editorial team

With its mythical monuments, its legendary charm and its exceptional cultural heritage, Paris is often associated with beauty, romance and elegance. But behind this idyllic image, the City of Light also hides some less brilliant facets, starting with the insalubrity which leads to a proliferation of rats. The situation is so serious that gardeners are now asking to be vaccinated against leptospirosis.

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A real concern among Parisian gardeners

Rats are currently proliferating in the capital, causing great concern and generating recurring conflicts.

ImportantAccording to Le Parisien, some gardeners fear contracting leptospirosis, a disease transmitted to humans by rodents via a bacterium present in their urine. This situation pushes the agents of the city to demand a vaccination.

According to one of them,

The city has given its agreement on the condition that the gardeners concerned agree to respect all the reminders.

Although this vaccine is not compulsory, gardeners wish to exercise their right to benefit from it. They even ask that in the future, this vaccine is systematically offered to public officials, in particular to those who are most exposed, in particular gardeners

City Hall’s skepticism

In addition to health considerations, this issue also has a political dimension.

Geoffroy Boulard, mayor of the 17th arrondissement, believes that this request is “legitimate”.

In the current context of the resurgence of rats in gardens, it is legitimate to worry about the public health policy carried out by the executive with regard to agents,

Geoffroy Boulard

He asserts.

The City of Paris, meanwhile, is more reserved. She relativizes by explaining that

The rat is fearful and therefore not a predator. The chances of it biting or coming into direct contact with humans are slim, which greatly reduces the health risks.

Geoffroy Boulard

It also justifies its position by the complexity of the vaccination process (3 initial injections and a booster every two years, with side effects) and the implementation of a vaccination campaign .

Without the vaccination campaign, the measures taken to eradicate rats in the capital (rat extermination campaigns, cleanliness actions, change of street furniture, etc.) already cost 1.5 million per year (2017 figure) to the city of Paris. A vaccination campaign against leptospirosis would increase the bill, a prospect that does not really delight the Town Hall.

Nevertheless, gardeners could resolve to finance their vaccination themselves, knowing that with a good mutual health some vaccines, even those that are not mandatory, can be reimbursed.