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Enhanced Cleaning Protocols And Staff Training Cut Contamination In Veterinary Practices By Over 70%, Study Shows
2 hours ago 
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Veterinary practices can greatly reduce contamination levels through a combination of optimised cleaning protocols, staff training, and routine hygiene monitoring, according to new research published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice.
The study measured contamination across 13 small animal practices using adenosine triphosphate (ATP) testing before and after implementing a structured intervention.
Testing was carried out before intervention and then after delivery of a staff training session and standardised cleaning protocols, re-tested 70 days later at 11 practices and an average of 128 days later at 5 practices. Samples were taken from the reception, consulting rooms, preparation and diagnostic areas, wards, theatre, kitchen, laboratory, and staff areas, using Hygiena® EnSURE® Touch & UltraSnap® Surface ATP Swabs. The cleaning protocol involved the removal of biofilms using a degreasing agent, followed by routine cleaning with a standard veterinary disinfectant cleaner and fogging application of a certified veterinary disinfectant.
Before intervention, average contamination levels in practices were 14.7 times higher than recommended thresholds. However, after delivering a 45-minute staff training session and the standardised cleaning protocol, contamination levels reduced by 61% within 70 days and by 71% within 128 days. Fomite surfaces such as door handles, kettles, and keyboards saw the greatest improvement, with an 80% reduction in contamination levels, while general surfaces had a 56% reduction.
These findings show that a combination of staff training, cleaning protocol refinement, and scheduled hygiene testing can greatly reduce contamination levels in practices and improve practice-level infection control.
Dr Neil Forbes, author of the study, said: “Once identified, most hygiene issues are readily addressed. Reservoirs of contamination, or indications of poor working practices, once detected, can be resolved. Longitudinal studies in human hospitals demonstrate that ATP reduction correlates with decreased nosocomial infection rates, ranging from 45–75% over 18 months to 5 years.”
The study recommends that practices appoint an Infection Control Champion, implement routine (ideally monthly) ATP testing, raise awareness with the whole team about infection sources, transmission routes, and risk management, and use two-step sanitation comprising cleaning followed by disinfection.
Read the full study here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.70078.
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