Xstrata in denial over necrotising fasciitis

There has been much interest of late about the prevalence of necrotising fasciitis in the Gulf of Carpentaria. A report in the Journal of Infection by A Ralph and BJ Currie from the Menzies School of Health in Darwin reported on 4 cases of infection.

The media from that time can be found under blog category necrotising-fasciitis.

The article in question makes interesting reading. The authors made a speculative link between levels of heavy metals and the incidence of necrotising fasciitis. What is suprising is the lengths Xstrata went to in countering what the authors, in an specialised journal, acknowledged was a speculative link . Xstrata were quick to say to say it wasn’t related to their existing mine on the McArthur River; but is this a case of were there is smoke there is fire?

Xstrata continue to deny any pollution despite their own figures showing 2.5 times more heavy metals immediately downstream of the mine compared to levels in the river above the mine. Ralph and Currie’s response to Xstrata’s letter clearly identifies that

Therefore even assuming that such levels reflect natural variation in a metal rich environment, MRM’s statement in their letter that “…zinc, lead and copper levels recorded in the McArthur River are within the acceptable range under ANZECC Water Quality Guidelines” does seem to contradict their monitoring data for that period.

Unfortunately the monitoring has been so inadequate, that the question of whether pollution from the mine is affecting the incidence and/or severity of necrotising fasciitis, can neither be proven or disproven.

Even more unfortunate is the unwillingness of Xstrata and the NT Government to investigate this properly.

The original article, Xstrata’s response and the authors response can be found below

Vibrio vulnificus and V. parahaemolyticus necrotising fasciitis in fishermen visiting an estuarine tropical northern Australia location

Xstrata’s response to the Journal of Infection 

Authors reply to Xstrata’s comment on “Vibrio…

EPA highly critical of Xstrata’s monitoring

Heavy metal pollution in the McArthur River.

Xstrata representative Brian Hearne recently stated “But we do know categorically there is no evidence of heavy metal pollution by the mine.” In doing so he failed to mention a few salient points about the adequacy of their testing regime.

The quotes below are from the NT Government’s EPA assessment.

“…it is the the EPA’s conclusion that water quality sampling from only 2 data points is insufficient to fully access the mines contribution to a decline in water quality in the catchment, and any risks of toxicity in the aquatic water system.” (EPA Report 51 p, 23.)

“EPA concludes the lack of sediment data prevents a complete assessment of the environmental risks of the proposal.” (EPA Report 51 p, 24.)

There are elevated levels of heavy metals downstream of the mine. If there was adequate sediment data and sufficient water quality sampling, then there would be more evidence of heavy metal pollution.

Unfortunately we have to rely on Xstrata and their friends in the NT Government for this information. Since neither of them released details on the flesh-eating bacteria, despite the health risks, it would be naive to expect them to act in the public interest this time.
 

NT Government failure to notify of flesh eating bacteria a disgrace

Northern Land Council (NLC) Chief Executive, Norman Fry, today said that the NT Government’s abject failure to warn residents in the McArthur River region of the life threatening danger from flesh eating bacteria which have killed four people in six years was an absolute disgrace.

 

 more… from the NLC Media Release

Flesh eating disease has killed three

From the NorthernTerritory News, 2 March 2007, By FLORA LIVERIS.

THREE people have died after contracting a rare flesh-eating disease in the Territory.

 Two of them were tourists who became ill after fishing near Borroloola in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

The third was a 19-year-old local girl who had been swimming in a coastal tidal creek.

All three had other health problems.

The disease, necrotising fasciitis, is contracted through marine bacteria, which gets in through cuts in the skin and poisons the blood stream.

Survivors often have to have limbs amputated.

Menzies School of Health Research professor Bart Currie announced yesterday an investigation into what caused the vibrio bacteria to proliferate near Borroloola.

The world’s biggest lead and zinc mine is close to the township.

Professor Currie said the mine and the infections were not linked.

“It is a metal rich area and there are in the environment naturally high levels of metal,” he said.

McArthur River Mining also dismissed suggestions that the operation was responsible for the bacteria.

“The vibrio is a naturally occurring organism,” general manager Brian Hearne said.

“No one knows what is causing the unusual rate of infections in this region.

“But we do know categorically there is no evidence of heavy metal pollution by the mine.”

The deaths occurred between July 2000 an October 2005.

Northern Land Council chief executive Norman Fry said the failure to warn residents in the region of the bacteria was an “absolute disgrace”.

The NT Government’s chief health officer Tarun Weeramanthri said flyers had been put up in Borroloola.

“We have to tell people what the risk is and what precautions they should take without giving a message that no one should go fishing or launch their boats and get their feet wet,” he said.

An article published in a medical journal linked high levels of zinc in the McArthur River and an increase in the flesh-eating bacteria.

The first case to be recorded in the Territory was in 1988 in Darwin.

http://www.ntnews.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,21311317%255E13569,00.html

NT Government slow to respond to flesh-eating bacteria

Too little, too late Clare. Too busy approving a mine to address a significant health issue.

Govt defends response to flesh-eating bacteria cases (ABC)
The Northern Territory’s Health Department is adamant its response to a cluster of deaths from flesh-eating bacteria was not affected by the presence of a controversial mine nearby.

Three people have died and another had his foot amputated after being infected with the vibrio bacteria in waters near Borroloola, south-east of Darwin, since 2000.

It is the same area as a major zinc mine and a British Medical Journal report suggests heavy metal levels in the water could be affecting the bacteria levels.

The Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory’s gulf country say they have not been told about the risk.

The head of Borroloola’s Mubuji Aboriginal resource centre says the first the community knew of the deaths from vibrio bacteria was when they heard it on the news this morning.

“It’s a shock, it’s not communication that I see, especially health-wise,” he said.

He says no one has told the local Aboriginal population about the risk of going in the water or eating raw seafood.

The territory’s chief health officer Tarun Weeramanthri says the department only recently realised the problem was serious.

“After the fourth case we definitely knew that there was an issue that needed to be dealt with,” he said.

The Territory’s Chief Minister says the flesh-eating bacteria occurs naturally.

Clare Martin says information that educates people on how to manage their lives around the bacteria has been issued.

“I know that there is a campaign being run,” she said.

“I don’t know how widespread or how effective it is, but if it’s not effective enough then we need to do something.”

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200703/s1860798.htm