The study assessed contamination across 13 small animal practices using adenosine triphosphate (ATP) testing before and after delivery of a staff training session and standardised cleaning protocols.
Eleven practices were re-tested 70 days later and five practices were re-tested an average of 128 days later.
Samples were taken from reception areas, consulting rooms, preparation and diagnostic areas, wards, theatres, kitchens, laboratories, 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 the intervention, average contamination levels in practices were 14.7 times higher than recommended thresholds.
Following the 45-minute staff training session and implementation of the standardised cleaning protocol, contamination levels reduced by 61% within 70 days and by 71% within 128 days.
Fomite surfaces — including door handles, kettles, and keyboards — showed the greatest improvement, with contamination levels reduced by 80%. General surfaces recorded a 56% reduction.
These findings indicate that a combination of staff training, refined cleaning protocols, and scheduled hygiene testing can significantly 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.
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