In the ongoing battle against drug-resistant bacteria, the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn Vet), is employing comprehensive infection prevention, control measures, and sophisticated biosecurity strategies. The objective is to ensure the safety of the animals, people, and communities that rely on its hospitals and facilities. Ryan Hospital and New Bolton Center, both under Penn Vet, have dedicated leaders for infection prevention and control, whose responsibilities encompass development, monitoring, and implementation of disease control mandates. They also educate staff and students about veterinary infection prevention techniques.
Among the cutting-edge tools being used in this initiative are advanced ultraviolet germicidal light robots that target and destroy microscopic pathogens. As highlighted by Donna Oakley, Ryan Hospital’s Director of Clinical Governance, efforts are underway to establish influential infection prevention measures and control programs at both centers that set benchmarks in veterinary medicine.
Originating from a response to a 2018 outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), Ryan Hospital’s program took shape. Both Oakley and Stephen D. Cole, an Assistant Professor of Clinical Microbiology, were integral in developing a solution to manage antibiotic-resistant bacteria. CRE is recognized as a significant antimicrobial resistance threat by the World Health Organization and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Cole’s research mainly centers around tracking the spread of CRE in companion animals throughout the United States. This research included the first national prevalence study in dogs and cats. A study published this year in Clinical Infectious Diseases demonstrated substantial evidence that CRE could be transmitted between animals and humans, confirming it as a One Health issue. The study also revealed a rising trend in CRE instances.
In Cole’s words, the program employs evidence-based practices in a rapidly evolving environment to deal with real-time concerns. The primary benefit, though, is that they are constantly refining the program for the better protection of patients, the community, and the globe by curtailing the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
Source: https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/penn-vet-new-bolton-safeguarding-health-animals-and-people