Fat dogs and coughing horses: K-12 programming for veterinary workforce development.

Workforce development strategies to educate, inform, and diversify the veterinary profession of the future must begin with children in elementary school. This article provides a description of the Fat Dogs and Coughing Horses program, which takes a multifaceted approach toward informing young students, beginning in first grade, about the interesting work and career opportunities available in the field of veterinary medicine. The program, a collaboration among Purdue University and Indiana public schools, is supported by a Science Education Partnership Award from the Office of Research Infrastructure Programs, a component of the National Institutes of Health. The overall goal of the program is to provide formal and informal educational opportunities for students, parents, teachers, and the public about the science involved in keeping people and their animals healthy. Examples of health concerns that impact both people and their pets are used to inform and excite children about careers in the health sciences. The program resulted in (1) curricula for students in Grades 1-3, 6, and 9; (2) four children's books and a set of collectible cards which highlight veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and research scientists who work with animals; and (3) four traveling museum-level quality exhibits. Preliminary assessment data has shown that the implementation of the curricula enhanced student science learning and science attitudes and interests. The program provides evidence that partnerships among professionals in veterinary medicine and K-12 education can result in impactful workforce development programs.

Effectiveness of using a mat filled with a peroxygen disinfectant to minimize shoe sole contamination in a veterinary hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of using a disinfectant mat filled with a peroxygen compound to prevent mechanical transmission of bacteria via contaminated footwear between the food animal ward and common breezeway of a veterinary teaching hospital. DESIGN: Observational study. SAMPLE POPULATION: Shoe soles of individuals entering and exiting from the ward. PROCEDURES: A mat filled with peroxygen disinfectant was placed at the entrance to the food animal ward, and participants wiped each shoe twice on the mat surface (n = 16) or walked on the mat surface but did not wipe their shoes (17) before entering and exiting from the ward. Swab specimens were collected from the shoe soles of participants before and after mat use and submitted for bacterial culture. RESULTS: For both study days, as participants entered the ward, median number of aerobic bacteria isolated from shoe swab specimens collected prior to use of the disinfectant mat was not significantly different from median number isolated after use of the disinfectant mat. However, as participants exited the ward, median number of aerobic bacteria isolated from shoe swab specimens collected prior to use of the disinfectant mat was significantly higher than median number isolated after use of the disinfectant mat. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that placing a mat filled with a peroxygen disinfectant at the exit from the food animal ward of a veterinary teaching hospital may help reduce mechanical transmission of bacteria on the footwear of individuals leaving the ward.

Evaluation of current and novel protocols for disinfection of airplane passenger footwear under simulated conditions.

Aerobic bacterial culture was used to compare the effectiveness of the current USDA footwear disinfection protocol for airplane passengers contacting livestock to a novel protocol. The current protocol consists of brushing and dipping shoe soles in 1% Virkon S. The number of bacteria was not different between shoes treated with the current protocol and untreated shoes. No shoes met the standard for disinfection after the current disinfection protocol was completed. The novel protocol consisted of brushing shoe soles, wiping soles with a cotton towel soaked in 1% Virkon S, and drying soles with paper towels. The number of bacteria was less (P<0.0001) on treated shoes compared to control shoes. Eighteen of 20 shoes (90%) cleaned using the novel protocol met the standard for disinfection. Direct comparison of the current and novel protocols found that the number of bacteria cultured was less (P<0.0001) after implementing the novel protocol compared to implementing the current protocol. Again, no shoes treated using the current protocol met the standard for disinfection after the current protocol was completed. Sixteen and 17 of 20 shoes (80--85%), respectively, met the standard for disinfection after the novel protocol was completed. Under conditions of this study, current US airport footwear disinfection protocols were inadequate to disinfect footwear when using aerobic bacteria as a marker for disinfection. We recommend implementation of the novel footwear disinfectant protocol for select passengers from international flights.

Procedures for preventing transmission of foot-and-mouth disease virus (O/TAW/97) by people.

The aim of this study was to determine personal hygiene protocols and animal avoidance periods needed to prevent transmission of FMDV (O/TAW/97). Forty-six, 9-week-old barrows free of FMDV were randomly allocated to five treatment groups and a control group. Investigators contacted and sampled FMDV-inoculated pigs for approximately 40 min and then contacted and sampled sentinel pigs after using no biosecurity procedures, washing hands and donning clean outerwear, or showering and donning clean outerwear. Personnel were sampled for nasal carriage of FMDV for 85.43 h. Contaminated personnel did not transmit FMDV to susceptible pigs after handwashing or showering, and donning clean outerwear. FMDV was transmitted when biosecurity procedures were not used. FMDV was not detected in nasal secretions of investigators. Thus, extended animal avoidance periods do not appear to be necessary to prevent transmission of FMDV (O/TAW/97) by people to pigs when organic material is removed through handwashing/showering and donning clean outerwear. This study supports similar findings in a previous publication using FMDV (O/UK/35/2001).