What is practice biosecurity?

• Large animal veterinarians are familiar with the concept of biosecurity on farms, often including advice in herd health plans and in person on farm visits.
• Biosecurity in the practice refers to preventing pathogen entry to the veterinary practice (including the veterinarian, vehicles, equipment as an extension of the practice), and biocontainment refers to reducing spread if any of these are contaminated.

Why does it matter?

Risk assessment

Vehicle

Personal equipment

Personal protective equipment

Veterinary equipment

Entering and leaving the practice

Disease-free herds

Zoonoses and notifiable diseases

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed Papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Shortall O, Ruston A, Green M, Brennan M, Wapenaar W, Kaler J (2016) Broken biosecurity? Veterinarians’ framing of biosecurity on dairy farms in England. Prev Vet Med 132, 20-31 PubMed.
• Egert M, Späth K, Weik K, Kunzelmann H, Horn C, Kohl M, Blessing F (2015) Bacteria on smartphone touchscreens in a German university setting and evaluation of two popular cleaning methods using commercially available cleaning products. Folia Microbiol (Praha) 60, 159-164 PubMed. 
• Shen N J, Pan S C, Sheng W H, Tien K L, Chen M L, Chang S C, Chen Y C (2015) Comparative antimicrobial efficacy of alcohol-based hand rub and conventional surgical scrub in a medical center. J Microbiol Immunol Infect 48, 322-328 PubMed.
• Sullivan L E, Blowey R W, Carter S D, Duncan J S, Grove-White D H, Page P, Iveson T, Angell J W, Evans N J (2014) Presence of digital dermatitis treponemes on cattle and sheep hoof trimming equipment. Vet Rec 175, 201-201 PubMed.
• Ridley A, Morris V, Gittins J, Cawthraw S, Harris J, Edge S, Allen V (2011) Potential sources of Campylobacter infection on chicken farms: Contamination and control of broiler-harvesting equipment, vehicles and personnel. J Appl Microbiol 111, 233-244 PubMed.
• Gunn G J, Heffernan C, Hall M, McLeod A, Hovi M (2008) Measuring and comparing constraints to improved biosecurity amongst GB farmers, veterinarians and the auxiliary industries. Prev Vet Med 84, 310-323 PubMed. 
• Morley P S, Morris S N, Hyatt D R, Van Metre D C (2005) Evaluation of the efficacy of disinfectant footbaths as used in veterinary hospitals. JAVMA 226, 2053-2058 PubMed. 
• Morley P S (2002) Biosecurity of veterinary practices. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract 18, 133-155 PubMed. 
• Larson E L (1992, 1993, 1995) APIC guidelines for handwashing and hand antisepsis in health care settings. Am J Infect Control 23, 251-269 PubMed.