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. 2012 Feb;53(2):144-50.

Occupational health hazards in veterinary medicine: zoonoses and other biological hazards

Tasha Epp  1 , Cheryl Waldner
Affiliations

Occupational health hazards in veterinary medicine: zoonoses and other biological hazards

Tasha Epp et al. Can Vet J. 2012 Feb.

Abstract
in English, French

This study describes biological hazards reported by veterinarians working in western Canada obtained through a self-administered mailed questionnaire. The potential occupational hazards included as biological hazards were zoonotic disease events, exposure to rabies, injuries due to bites and scratches, and allergies. Only 16.7% (136/812) of responding veterinarians reported the occurrence of a zoonosis or exposure to rabies in the past 5 years; the most commonly reported event was ringworm. Most bites and scratches (86%) described by 586 veterinarians involved encounters with cats; 81% of the resulting 163 infections were due to cat bites or scratches. Approximately 38% of participants reported developing an allergy during their career, with 41% of the affected individuals altering the way they practiced in response to their allergy.

Risques pour la santé des travailleurs en médecine vétérinaire : zoonoses et autres risques biologiques. Cette étude décrit les dangers biologiques signalés par les vétérinaires travaillant dans l’Ouest canadien dans le cadre d’un questionnaire à remplir soi-même acheminé par la poste. Les risques potentiels pour les travailleurs incluent des dangers biologiques comme des cas de zoonoses, l’exposition à la rage, des blessures causées par des morsures ou des égratignures et des allergies. Seulement 16,7 % (136/812) des vétérinaires répondants ont signalé l’occurrence d’une zoonose ou l’exposition à la rage au cours des 5 dernières années; l’incident le plus communément signalé était la teigne. La plupart des morsures et des égratignures (86 %) décrites par les 586 vétérinaires impliquaient des chats; 81 % des 163 infections résultantes étaient attribuables à des morsures et à des égratignures de chats. Environ 38 % des participants ont signalé avoir développé une allergie durant leur carrière et 41 % des personnes touchées ont modifié la façon dont elles exercent la médecine en réaction à leur allergie.

(Traduit par Isabelle Vallières)

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