Introduction

Infection control in animal hospitals prevents the transmission of infection from patient to patient or to/from the carer. It also minimizes the risk of contamination of equipment.

Background

Hand washing is the single most effective method for preventing the spread of infection. Routine hand washing aims to remove dirt, organic material and transient bacteria. Hand wash solution is provided for use by all volunteers in the hospital for routine hand washing.

Volunteer carer information

For thorough washing and drying, nails should be kept short, jewellery should be removed and hands should be dried thoroughly with the paper hand towels provided.

As a guide, hand washing should be performed: to maintain personal hygiene before and after all contact with animals after any contact with bodily fluids after touching equipment likely to have been contaminated before eating

Volunteers with any cuts or abrasions should cover them with a waterproof dressing (such as a Band-Aid).

Cleaning

Ordinary domestic cleaning with detergent, hot water and scrubbing will remove most microorganisms from a surface and further reduction occurs as the surface dries. In some situations, however, stronger methods of cleaning are needed. Disinfection is the removal or destruction of all microorganisms, except bacterial spores, which, is achieved by heat, alcohol or disinfectants. Sterilisation differs in that it causes the complete eradication of all living microorganisms.

There are three levels of contamination that can be used as a guide to select the cleaning process. High risk occurs when equipment enters animal tissue or blood vessels, and when sterilisation is required. Medium risk occurs when equipment or body surfaces come into contact with bodily fluid; this is when disinfection is required. Low risk occurs when skin or surfaces come into contact with anything dirty. This is when thorough cleaning and drying is required.

At Kanyana, most levels of contamination fall into the low to medium risk category. Volunteers should be aware of the correct use of disinfectants as it in an important issue. Disinfectants are often inactivated by organic material such as faeces. Items for disinfection should be thoroughly cleaned first. In addition, it is not recommended that detergent be added to disinfectant as this may make the disinfectant inactive.

Infection control at Kanyana is an important issue that can be managed, in part, with simple and effective cleaning methods carried out by all volunteers.

Karen Wills

(Karen has been a Kanyana volunteer for the past six years. She in now a zoology/botany graduate currently working in a research group based at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, which observes the above infection control practices.)