The Vet as a Fomite

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A medical definition of a fomite is "an inanimate object... that may be contaminated with infectious organisms and serve in their transmission."[1] Thus, as a vet handles multiple clients per day, they themselves can act as an animate fomite; more specific examples may include: clothing, footwear, feed and water bowls, needles, collars, leads, and more.[2]

Biosecurity

High standards of hand washing are an example of good practice

While definitions of biosecurity have differed over time according to the field being discussed, it is broadly termed within the veterinary world as "an approach designed to prevent or decrease the transmission of naturally occurring infectious diseases and pests in crops and livestock."[3] As a minimum, this approach should include hand washing to the standard of the World Health Organization[4] Further procedures would depend on the environment, for example using a boot scrub and foot dip before entering or leaving a farm. The correct use of PPE will also contribute to good biosecurity practices, which will minimise instances of the vet acting as a fomite as much as possible.

Zoonoses

In the interest of public health, biosecurity becomes paramount when considering the possible transition of zoonoses, initially from animals to their vets, and secondarily from vets to members of the general public, whereby the vet would, once again, be acting as a fomite. This is a much larger scale threat than is realized; there are approximately 40 zoonotic diseases in the UK, and numbers in the region of the hundreds of thousands have the potential to be affected.[5]

Transmission

There are multiple ways by which a pathogen can leave an animal, including:

  • Discharges
  • Saliva
  • Urine
  • Blood
  • Skin
  • Milk (can pass infection on to the next generation) and
  • Dead animals (necrotic tissue is a source of infection and may also contaminate the surrounding environment)

Furthermore, routes into a new host include:

  • Direct contact
  • Indirect contact (via contaminated environment)
  • Fomite
  • Vector (e.g. mosquito)
  • Ingestion
  • Inhalation and
  • Penetration of the skin

In addition, some animals can be carriers of a disease or pathogen without displaying any outward clinical signs.

The Vet as a Fomite

With these things in mind, moving forward it is possible to say that good practice with an emphasis on hygiene can minimise the risks involved when working with animals. Moreover, it can be hypothesised that educating animal husbandry personnel and members of the public could reduce cases of disease transfer both within and outside of veterinary practice.

References

  1. ↑ Merrian-Webster Medical Dictionary Fomite http://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/fomite (Accessed 28 October 2015)
  2. ↑ Sharon Hunt Gerardo, PhD, DVM, MPVM (2011) 'Fomite Transmission – Reducing the Risk for Small Animal Facilities' Veterinary Infection Control Services http://vet-ics.com/1/post/2011/07/fomite-transmission-reducing-the-risk-for-small-animal-facilities.html (Accessed 28 October 2015)
  3. ↑ Koblentz, G.D. (2010) 'Biosecurity Reconsidered' International Security 34(3) pp.96-132
  4. ↑ World Health Organization Clean hands protect against infection http://www.who.int/gpsc/clean_hands_protection/en/ (Accessed 28 October 2015)
  5. ↑ Health and Safety Executive, UK Government Zoonoses http://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/diseases/zoonoses.htm (Accessed 28 October 2015)
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