Table 2.
Biological hazards present in veterinary workplaces and recommendations for mitigation of risks to female reproductive health identified in the literature.
| Hazard | Reproductive risk | Best practices to mitigate risk |
|---|---|---|
| Brucellosis (Brucella spp) | Preterm delivery and low birth weight70 | Use standard precautions72 Be aware of risk and attain prompt diagnosis70 Consult an infectious disease specialist if symptoms develop70 Report infection to animal and public health authorities72 |
| Leptospirosis (Leptospira interrogans) | Infection of the embryo or fetus with outcomes ranging from midgestational fetal death to birth of a healthy infant; maternal death can also occur73,74 | Use standard precautions72 Consult an infectious disease specialist if symptoms develop73 Contact local or state health departments for guidance following potential exposure72 Wear gloves when handling pet rats75 |
| Listeriosis (Listeria monocytogenes) | Preterm labor, fetal death, stillbirth, and Listeria septicemia and meningitis of the neonate26 | Wear gloves, facial protection, and protective clothing while working with aborted fetuses and tissues or fluids expelled by the dam23,72 Use extra caution when working with sheep, goats, and cattle during pregnancy26 |
| Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection | Spontaneous abortion and severe birth defects (eg, chorioretinitis, hydrocephalus, and mental retardation)76 | Wear gloves and facial protection when handling rodents while pregnant72 Avoid sweeping or vacuuming rodent urine, droppings, and nesting materials72 Report infection to public health authorities72 |
| Gestational psittacosis (Chlamydophila psittaci) | Adverse pregnancy outcomes are very rare, but stillbirth has been reported77 | Wear gloves and N95 respirator when handling ill psittacine birds72 Consider all ill birds to be a potential source of infection68,72 Avoid sweeping or vacuuming bird urine, droppings, and nesting materials; use gloves, N95 respirator, goggles, and surgical cap when cleaning contaminated areas72,77 Report infection to public health authorities72 |
| Gestational chlamydiosis (Chlamydophila abortus) | Spontaneous abortion, severe chlamydiosis (coagulopathy, intense placentitis), and maternal death78 | Wear gloves, N95 respirator, and protective clothing while working with aborted sheep or goat fetuses or tissues and fluids expelled by the dam78,79 Pregnant women should avoid contact with aborting sheep and goats, if possible78 Report infection to public health authorities72 |
| Q Fever (Coxiella burnetii) | Spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, preterm birth, intrauterine growth retardation, and low birth weight80 | Consult an infectious disease specialist if symptoms develop80 Wear gloves, N95 respirator, and protective clothing when working with aborted sheep or goat fetuses or tissues and fluids expelled by the dam23,72 Use extra caution when working with sheep, goats, and cattle during pregnancy81 Report infection to public health authorities72 |
| Toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii) | Spontaneous abortion, preterm birth, stillbirth, fetal neurological damage, congenital chorioretinitis, hydrocephalus, encephalitis, and mental retardation23,26 | Avoid exposure to cat feces and litter while pregnant82 Consult a health-care provider when considering pregnancy or in early pregnancy about advisability of baseline antibody titer determination (authors’ recommendation on the basis of Weese et al82) Maintain a clinic practice of daily litter pan cleaning by nonpregnant staff members76 Use gloves when conducting feline fecal examinations and wash hands afterward83 |
| Infections from animal licks, bites, or scratches (eg, Pasturella multocida, Bartonella henselae, Capnocytophaga canimorsus) | Maternal pyrexia, premature labor, chorioamnionitis, and maternal and neonatal death76 | Counsel pregnant personnel likely to be exposed to animal flora84 Educate physicians to consider systemic infection with P multocida and other animal flora in symptomatic female veterinary personnel84 |