Evolution of equine infection control programs.
Abstract: The science of control of infectious diseases in hospitals was born in 1847 when Semmelweis, a physician, ordered his medical students to scrub their hands in chlorinated lime water between patients and demonstrated that this simple procedure resulted ina dramatic decline in patient morbidity and mortality. In the late nineteenth century came huge breakthroughs in the understanding that microorganisms cause many disorders, and methods to eliminate and control these microorganisms were attempted. By 1910, sterile instruments, gowns, masks, and gloves had become standard for surgical procedures in large university human hospitals, and isolation of human and veterinary patients with contagious diseases became standard. With the advent of vaccines, many epidemic viral diseases could be controlled, and antimicrobial drugs allowed many previously devastating bacterial diseases to be treated effectively. Before long, however, bacterial resistance became an important issue and remains so today, particularly for Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus in horses. Vaccination has decreased the number of animals susceptible to equine influenza and equine herpesvirus 1, yet these contagious diseases still pose a serious issue in large equine veterinary hospitals. The development of equine isolation facilities and improved methods of barn cleaning; mandatory application of procedures, such as handwashing or use of disinfectant hand wipes, to prevent the spread of infectious diseases; and monitoring of antimicrobial resistance and use of restricted antimicrobial drugs were driven by recognition and necessity and have given rise to current equine infection control programs.
Publication Date: 2004-11-03 PubMed ID: 15519815DOI: 10.1016/j.cveq.2004.07.002Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Historical Article
- Journal Article
- Review
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The research article discusses the historical evolution of equine infection control programs, highlighting key advancements and challenges, including bacterial resistance and managing diseases such as equine influenza or equine herpesvirus 1.
Origins of Infection Control Programs
- The study emphasizes that the beginning of the science of infection control can be traced back to 1847 when a physician named Semmelweis mandated hand scrubbing between patients. He demonstrated that such a simple procedure significantly reduced patient morbidity and mortality.
- By the late 19th century, greater understanding of microorganisms and their role in diseases spurred efforts to eliminate and control these harmful organisms.
Advancements in Infection Control Processes
- By 1910, practices of using sterile instruments, gowns, masks and gloves became a standard in large university human hospitals.
- Isolation of patients, both human and veterinary, with contagious diseases also became a routine measure.
- The advent of vaccines played a massive role in controlling many epidemic viral diseases, whilst antimicrobial drugs provided effective treatment for several devastating bacterial diseases.
Challenges and Ongoing Developments
- The paper acknowledges the problem of bacterial resistance, particularly in reference to Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus in horses, as an impactful issue which is still present today.
- Despite vaccination decreasing the number of susceptible animals, diseases like equine influenza and equine herpesvirus 1 continue to pose significant challenges within large equine veterinary hospitals.
- The development of specific equine isolation facilities and improved barn cleaning methods were a response to these hurdles.
- Mandatory procedures to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, such as handwashing or the use of disinfectant hand wipes, were also implemented.
- A significant part of the current equine infection control programs involves monitoring of antimicrobial resistance and the strategic use of restricted antimicrobial drugs.
Cite This Article
APA
Smith BP.
(2004).
Evolution of equine infection control programs.
Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract, 20(3), 521-v.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cveq.2004.07.002 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA. bpsmith@ucdavis.edu
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- History, 19th Century
- History, 20th Century
- History, 21st Century
- Horse Diseases / history
- Horse Diseases / prevention & control
- Horses
- Humans
- Hygiene
- Infection Control / history
- Infection Control / methods
- Infection Control / trends
- Vaccination / history
- Vaccination / veterinary
- Veterinary Medicine / history
- Veterinary Medicine / methods
- Veterinary Medicine / organization & administration
References
This article includes 41 references
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
