Occupational health and safety in small animal veterinary practice: Part I--nonparasitic zoonotic diseases.
Zoonotic diseases are an ever-present concern in small animal veterinary practice and are often overlooked. A variety of nonparasitic zoonotic diseases may be encountered in small animal practice, including cat scratch disease (bartonellosis), cat bite abscesses, rabies, leptospirosis, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea, salmonellosis, avian chlamydiosis, campylobacteriosis, dermatophytosis, and blastomycosis. These may cause human disease ranging from mild and self-limiting to fatal. The risk of development of a zoonotic disease can be lessened by early recognition of infected animals, proper animal handling, basic biosecurity precautions, and, most importantly, personal hygiene.
Weese
J S
JS
Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1.
Peregrine
A S
AS
Armstrong
J
J
D000820:Animal Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D000818:Animals; D003140:Communicable Disease Control; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014730:Veterinary Medicine; D015047:Zoonoses