Fesseha Haben, Kefelegn Tasew, Mathewos Mesfin
School of Veterinary Medicine, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia.
Heliyon. 2022 May 21;8(5):e09485. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09485. eCollection 2022 May.
Veterinary practices or activities expose professionals to occupational hazards, including infection with zoonotic diseases, during contact with animals. To assess animal care professionals' practice towards zoonotic disease management and infection control practices (ICPs) in selected areas of the Wolaita zone, a cross-sectional survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire survey. A total of 287 animal care professionals were registered by the Wolaita zone livestock and fishery office and working in nine different districts of the Wolaita zone. Of these, 135 animal care professionals working across nine different districts of the Wolaita zone were interviewed in the current study. The survey showed that about 55% (74/135) of respondents were animal health assistants, and about 84% (114/135) of the professionals were males. In terms of utilization of ICP, about 72% of professionals routinely wash their hands before eating and drinking in their workplace. However, approximately 7% of professionals sometimes eat or drink at the workplace. Additionally, almost 32% of the professionals always wash their hands between patient contacts. In the survey, approximately 49% of veterinarians said they sterilized and reused disposable needles. When dealing with an animal suspected of carrying a zoonotic infection, nearly 25% of experts isolate or quarantine diseased animals, and only about 25% of the experts remove their personal protective equipment (PPE) before interacting with other animals. Approximately 62% of responders said they used outwear (PPE) when carrying out surgery and 28% when performing a necropsy. Nearly 39% of veterinarians reported using gloves and gowns when assisting with parturition or handling conception products, and around 36% of practitioners utilized proper PPE when handling blood samples. Our findings show that the veterinary community in the Wolaita Zone's selected sites needs to be educated about ICPs regularly. A better understanding of the risk of zoonotic disease exposure, as well as alternatives for reducing this risk and liability problems, may encourage the use of infection control measures. Successful partnerships across multiple professional sectors should use a One Health approach that includes stakeholders from the human, animal, and environmental categories.
兽医业务或活动会使专业人员在与动物接触过程中面临职业危害，包括感染人畜共患病。为评估沃莱塔地区特定区域内动物护理专业人员在人畜共患病管理和感染控制措施（ICP）方面的做法，采用结构化问卷调查进行了一项横断面调查。沃莱塔地区畜牧渔业办公室共登记了287名动物护理专业人员，他们在沃莱塔地区的9个不同区工作。其中，本研究对在沃莱塔地区9个不同区工作的135名动物护理专业人员进行了访谈。调查显示，约55%（74/135）的受访者是动物健康助理，约84%（114/135）的专业人员为男性。在ICP的使用方面，约72%的专业人员在工作场所饮食前会常规洗手。然而，约7%的专业人员有时会在工作场所饮食。此外，近32%的专业人员在接触不同动物之间总会洗手。在调查中，约49%的兽医表示他们会对一次性针头进行消毒并重复使用。在处理疑似携带人畜共患感染的动物时，近25%的专家会隔离患病动物，只有约25%的专家在与其他动物接触前会脱下个人防护装备（PPE）。约62%的受访者表示他们在进行手术时会使用外衣（PPE），进行尸检时这一比例为28%。近39%的兽医报告在协助分娩或处理受孕产物时会使用手套和防护服，约36%的从业者在处理血样时会使用适当的PPE。我们的研究结果表明，需要定期对沃莱塔地区选定地点的兽医群体进行ICP方面的教育。更好地了解人畜共患病暴露风险以及降低这种风险和责任问题的替代方法，可能会促使人们采用感染控制措施。跨多个专业领域的成功合作应采用“同一健康”方法，其中包括来自人类、动物和环境领域的利益相关者。
