Zoonotic dz Prevention

Question 1

When working with animals in a veterinary hospital setting, or in general, when is it always important to wash your hands?

Answer 1

Before and after each patient
before you eat
After the restroom

Question 2

On busy days at the vet clinic, is it acceptable to eat in the treatment area?

Answer 2

NO

Question 3

T/F: Small animal veterinarians who always recapped needles were more likely to have sustained a needle stick within the past 12 months (CDC/AVMA) survey

Answer 3

TRUE

Question 4

T/F: Hospitals should have written infection control policies

Answer 4

TRUE

Question 5

What is the attitude veterinarians and vet staff may have that make them more susceptible to zoonoses?

Answer 5

We have a casual attitude towards blood, feces, urine, and other bodily fluids of animals

Also there is a casual attitude towards zoonotic infectious agents

Question 6

T/F: Whenever contacting feces, body fluids, exudates, blood, or non intact skin, veterinary professionals should utilize standard preventative measures regardless of the presumed diagnosis or risk of infection

Answer 6

TRUE

Question 7

Zoonotic infections in veterinary personnel are primarily related to ____ _____ and exposure to animal _____, infected skin, and droplets (not blood)

Answer 7

Bite wounds

feces

Question 8

What would standard precautions for veterinarians look like?

Answer 8

using more PPE

gloves with derm exams, when coming into contact with bodily fluids (even running blood work, performing FNA) Face mask when perform dentals etc

Question 9

What is the single most important measure to reduce the risk of disease transmission?

Answer 9

Hand hygiene
*using soap and water or alcohol based products

hand washing»> hand sanitizer due to the presence of contaminated organic material on hands

Question 10

How should liquid soap dispensers be refilled?

Answer 10

They should be completely emptied (not topped off), before cleaning and refilling

Question 11

When are alcohol based hand rubs effective?

Answer 11

When the hands are not visibly soiled

Question 12

T/F: Alcohol based hand rubs are more effective than hand washing against protozoan parasites and non-enveloped viruses

Answer 12

FALSE

They are less effective than hand washing against these agents

Question 13

When should gloves be worn on the treatment floor?

Answer 13

When touching any bodily fluids

dentistry, resuscitations, necropsies, OB’s, venipuncture on animals with suspected infectious dz and for soft tissue aspirates

To clean cages, litter boxes, contaminated surfaces, dirty laundry, to handle diagnostic specimens

Question 14

Is it necessary to wash your hands after a procedure when you were wearing gloves?

Answer 14

YES

gloves are not a substitute for hand washing

Question 15

T/F: Gloves are not necessary for handling normal, healthy animals

Answer 15

TRUE

Question 16

In general, risk of infection via aerosol increased with _____ to the source and ______ of exposure

Answer 16

Proximity to the source

of exposure

Question 17

T/F: Blowing in an endotracheal tube during CPR is acceptable practice

Answer 17

FALSE

this should be avoided

Question 18

What are the three most commonly reported accident/injury reported in veterinary hospitals?

Answer 18

Dog bites
cat bites
needle sticks (inadvertent inj of a vaccine is the most common needle stick injury)

Question 19

When should a used syringe with the needle attached be placed in the sharps container?

Answer 19

When injecting live vaccines or aspirating body fluids/tissue

*otherwise the needles and syringe can be separated for disposal of the needle in the sharps and syringe in the trash

Question 20

How do you prevent needle stick injuries?

Answer 20

Needles should never be removed from the syringe by hand

needle caps should never be removed by mouth

*if you have to recap, use forceps or “one handed scoop” technique

Question 21

What are some regulations you can establish in the animal hospital environment to control potential zoonoses?

Answer 21

Designate break areas separate from tx area

use separate fridge for human food, animal food, and biologics

Clean and store dishware for human use away from tx area

use separate storage and transport bins for clean and dirty laundry