Environmental cleaning and disinfection

Michelle Traverse; Helen Aceto

doi:10.1016/j.cvsm.2014.11.011

Environmental cleaning and disinfection

Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2015 Mar;45(2):299-330, vi. doi: 10.1016/j.cvsm.2014.11.011. Epub 2014 Dec 30.

Authors

Michelle Traverse¹, Helen Aceto²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Studies, Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital, University of Pennsylvania, 3900 Delancey Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
² Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania, 382 West Street Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348, USA. Electronic address: helenwa@vet.upenn.edu.

Abstract

The guidelines in this article provide veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and veterinary health care workers with an overview of evidence-based recommendations for the best practices associated with environmental cleaning and disinfection of a veterinary clinic that deals with small animals. Hospital-associated infections and the control and prevention programs necessary to alleviate them are addressed from an environmental perspective. Measures of hospital cleaning and disinfection include understanding mechanisms and types of contamination in veterinary settings, recognizing areas of potential concern, addressing appropriate decontamination techniques and selection of disinfectants, the management of potentially contaminated equipment, laundry, and waste management, and environmental surveillance strategies.

Keywords: Environmental contamination; Infection prevention; Small animal; Surveillance; Veterinary clinic.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Animal Diseases / prevention & control*
Animals
Cross Infection / prevention & control
Cross Infection / veterinary*
Disinfection / instrumentation
Disinfection / methods*
Equipment Contamination / prevention & control
Guidelines as Topic
Hospitals, Animal*