A report on the adherence to the infection control plan in a Swedish ruminant clinic : an observational study

Abstract: Adhering to infection control routines in veterinary clinics plays a vital role in stop-ping the spread of communicable diseases and reducing the likelihood of the spread of antibiotic resistance. There are many simple steps, including disinfecting hands and wearing protective aprons and gloves, which one can take to protect oneself, one’s patients, and one’s community from dangerous pathogens. The aim of this study is to assess the level of compliance with basic infection control routines in a Swedish ruminant clinic. In order to examine the compliance levels, an observational study was conduct-ed at the Ruminant Medicine and Veterinary Epidemiology Clinic in Uppsala, Sweden. The study included staff members, students, and visitors. The study also set out to note miscellaneous areas of the clinic that may need improvement. The results showed that there is progress to be made when it comes to compliance with basic infection control routines, including hand disinfection, glove use, protective apron use, having hair up/short, shoe changes, boot cleaning, and having forearms free from jewellery. The observations assessed the routines when entering and exiting both the clinic and examination rooms. Noteworthy findings included that only 24% of the staff, 41% of the veterinary nursing students, 23% of the clinic’s veterinary students, 57% of other veterinary students, and 10% of the visitors disinfected their hands when entering the clinic, giving an average compliance of 31% for this routine. In addition, there were many areas of the clinic that could use improvement, including the cleaning and disinfection of common areas and shoes provided for students and visitors, and the layout of the infection control barriers. More encompassing studies would need to be made in order to provide solutions to the lack of compliance, for instance educational interventions and incentives, but this study is an important step for the clinic in improving its adherence to infection control protocols.