Preventing Disease from Animal Contact from CDC website: Compendium
of Measures to Prevent Disease Associated with Animals in Public Settings,
2005 http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5404a1.htm
The public's contact with animals should occur in settings where
controls are in place to reduce the potential for injuries or disease
and increase the probability that exposures will be reported, documented,
and handled appropriately. The design of facilities or contact settings
should minimize the risk for exposure and facilitate hand washing
(Box 1). Certain jurisdictions might choose to establish more restrictive
recommendations in areas where animal contact is specifically encouraged
(e.g., petting zoos).
Requirements for the design of facilities or contact settings might
include double barriers to prevent contact with animals or contaminated
surfaces except for specified interaction areas. Manure disposal and
wastewater runoff should occur in areas where the risk for exposure
to pedestrians is eliminated or reduced. Control methods should focus
on facility design and management.
Recommendations regarding the management of animals in public settings
should address animal areas (where animal contact is possible or encouraged),
transition areas, and nonanimal areas (areas in which animals are
not permitted, with the exception of service animals) (Figure). Specific
guidelines might be necessary for certain settings (e.g., schools
[Box 2]). Recommendations for cleaning procedures should be tailored
to the specific situation (Appendix).
Recommendations should be applied both to settings in which animal
contact is possible (e.g., county fairs) and settings in which direct
animal contact is encouraged (e.g., petting zoos). However, in settings
where direct animal contact is encouraged, additional precautions
should be taken to reduce the risk for injuries and disease transmission.
For areas where animal contact is possible, design of the entry and
exit points for animal contact areas should be planned to facilitate
proper visitor flow through transition areas (Figure). These transition
areas should include educational information and hand-washing facilities.
Fences, gates, or other types of barriers can restrict uncontrolled
access to animals and animal contact areas and ensure that visitors
enter and exit through transition areas. Animal feed and water should
not be accessible to the public. In addition, in buildings where animals
live, adequate ventilation is essential for both animals (99) and
humans.
Food and beverages. No food or beverages should be allowed in animal
areas. In addition, smoking, carrying toys, and use of pacifiers,
spill-proof cups ("sippy cups"), and baby bottles should not be permitted
in animal areas.
Cleaning procedures. Manure and soiled animal bedding should be removed
promptly. Animal waste and specific tools for waste removal (e.g.,
shovels and pitchforks) should be confined to designated areas restricted
from public access. Manure and soiled bedding should not be transported
or removed through nonanimal areas or transition areas used by visitors.
If this is unavoidable, precautions should be taken to avoid spillage
and aerosolization. During events where animal contact is encouraged,
periodic disinfection of the venue might reduce the risk for disease
transmission during the event.
Supervision of children. Children should be closely supervised during
contact with animals to discourage contact with manure and soiled
bedding. Hand-to-mouth contact (e.g., thumb-sucking) should also be
discouraged. Appropriate hand washing should be required. Additional
recommendations for groups at high risk, including children aged under
five years, are outlined in this report. (See Additional Recommendations.)
Staff. Trained staff should be present in areas where animal contact
is permitted to encourage appropriate human-animal interactions, reduce
risk for exposure (e.g., by promptly cleaning up wastes), and process
reports of injuries and exposures.
Feeding animals. If feeding animals is permitted, only food sold
by the venue for that purpose should be allowed. Food sold for animal
consumption should not be eaten by humans and should not be provided
in containers that can be eaten by persons (e.g., ice cream cones).
This policy will reduce the risk for animal bites and the probability
of children eating food that has come into contact with animals.
Use of animal areas for public (nonanimal) activities. Zoonotic pathogens
can contaminate the environment for substantial periods (31). If animal
areas need to be used for public events (e.g., weddings and dances),
these areas should be cleaned and disinfected, particularly if food
and beverages are served. Materials with smooth, impervious surfaces
(e.g., steel, plastic, and sealed concrete) are easier to clean than
other materials (e.g., wood or dirt floors). Removing organic material
(bedding, feed, and manure) before using disinfectants is important.
A list of disinfectants is included in this report (Appendix).
Providing transition areas for visitors to pass through when entering
and exiting animal areas is critical. The transition areas between
animal and nonanimal areas should be designated as clearly as possible,
even if they need to be conceptual rather than physical (Figure).
In these areas, information should be provided regarding the prevention
of infection and injury and location of hand-washing facilities and
instructions for visitors to wash their hands upon exiting.
Signs informing visitors that they are entering an animal area should
be posted at the entrance transition areas. These signs should also
instruct visitors not to eat, drink, or place their hands in their
mouth while in the animal area. Visitors should be discouraged from
taking strollers, baby bottles, pacifiers, food, and beverages into
areas where animal contact is encouraged or where contact with animal
manure or bedding can occur. Visitor traffic should be controlled
to avoid overcrowding the animal area.
Exit transition areas should be marked with signs instructing the
public to wash their hands. Hand-washing stations should be available
and accessible to all visitors, including children and persons with
disabilities (Box 1).
Food and beverages should be prepared, served, and consumed only
in the designated nonanimal areas. Hand-washing facilities should
be available where food or beverages are served (Box 1).
If animals or animal products (e.g., animal pelts, animal waste,
and owl pellets) (100) are used for educational purposes in nonanimal
areas (Box 2), the nonanimal areas should be cleaned (Appendix). Animals
and animal products should not be brought into school cafeterias and
other food-consumption areas.