Zoonosis and veterinary waste disposal in rural practice

The objectives of this study were to estimate: (a) the frequency of zoonoses in large animal veterinarians from rural areas of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and (b) to describe the use and disposal of personal protective equipment (PPE) and selective veterinary clinical waste. A cross-sectional study was carried out on large animal veterinary practitioners in the Province of Buenos Aires (n=106). One third (29.2%) of them had been diagnosed with a zoonosis by laboratory-methods, being brucellosis the most frequent (22.6%). The more years passed since their graduation, the greater the chances of becoming ill (p<0.001). Gloves were the most adopted PPE; however, other elements had little or no use at all. Older and experienced professionals used PPE less frequently than young inexperienced practitioners. Some PPE was frequently reused and the final disposal of veterinary waste was often inappropriate. A change in behavior is an urgent need to preserve not only the veterinarians' health but also their families' wellbeing and to ensure proper disposal of potentially hazardous waste.