What is biosecurity?
Actions taken to prevent introduction and dissemination of infectious agents within a certain group or population
Important considerations with biosecurity
- Infectious agents constantly circulate in horse populations
- Horses are rarely managed in closed herd populations
- There are risks associated with moving horses in and between groups
- No infection control plan for horses is foolproof
What should you determine about risks and hazards?
What type of facility, event, or horse group
Geographic area
Endemic or epidemic diseases
What should be in a hospital security plan?
- Prevent introduction of pathogens
- Contain those pathogens that may be present
- Surveillance for other potential pathogens
- Response to introduction of a potential pathogen
How do you prevent the introduction of pathogens?
History and physical exam to discover possible exposure, clinical signs, travel or other history, and presenting physical
Elective procedures may require disease testing
How do you contain the spread of pathogens?
- Assume every patient is shedding; use personal and facilities hygiene
- Different daily attire and changes of clothing from outside to inside work
- Foot sanitation
- Ambulatory vets must consider hand hygiene and footwear disinfection
- Watch out for potential fomites
- Proper cleaning and disinfection protocols
- Control pests like birds, insects, or mammals
What is the proper order to handling horses to contain pathogens in hospital?
- General barn population
- ICU pateints
- Isolation patients
Which disinfectants are preferred and what are the advantages/disadvantages?
Oxidizing agents like Virkon or Accel
Advantages: Broad spectrum and some are quite safe
Disadvantages: Some are corrosive to metal
What should be done for proper surveillance?
- Patient monitoring with global testing (all horses) or targeted testing depending on the signs seen
- Syndrome surveillance to monitor clinical signs without specific microbiological testing
- Environmental monitoring - testing the area which can be less expensive than patient monitoring
What is the difference between a primary and secondary perimeter in a disease response?
Primary perimeter: All suspected infected animals and animals in immediate contact
Secondary perimeter: All animals at the facility that are free of infection but have increased exposure. They are usually monitored twice daily
What goes in to a disease response?
- Confirm the diagnosis
- Regulate horse movement
- Initiate biosecurity measures
- Have a communication plan
- Barrier nursing where infectious patients are treated in isolation to prevent the spread of infection
What should boarding stable owners do for new horses?
- Require specific disease testing
- Require specific vaccinations
- Quarantine new arrivals
- Get a proper history and physical exam
- Health certificate
What should be done at horse shows and events?
A. Avoid nose to nose contact with other horses
B. Don’t share equipment
C. Don’t put the end of a shared hose in water buckets
D. Don’t hand graze in areas where other horses have recently grazed
E. Avoid communal areas like wash racks
