ECC Safety & Infection Control 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which disinfectant class is most effective against MRSA on equine treatment surfaces?
- Quaternary ammonium compounds
- Accelerated hydrogen peroxide (Correct answer)
- Phenolic compounds
- Chlorhexidine gluconate
Correct answer: Accelerated hydrogen peroxide
Accelerated hydrogen peroxide (AHP) products provide rapid, broad-spectrum efficacy against MRSA and are safe for use on clinic surfaces.
Question 2: When approaching a horse from behind for chiropractic assessment, the practitioner should:
- Call out loudly to alert the horse
- Approach quietly from the left hindquarter at an angle (Correct answer)
- Place a hand on the rump before speaking
- Always use a blindfold to prevent startle responses
Correct answer: Approach quietly from the left hindquarter at an angle
Approaching from the left hindquarter at an angle, while speaking calmly, minimizes the horse's blind spot risk and follows safe equine handling protocol.
Question 3: A horse presents with active dermatophytosis (ringworm). The correct infection control response is:
- Treat normally with extra handwashing afterward
- Postpone treatment and notify the owner of zoonotic risk (Correct answer)
- Use gloves only and proceed with the session
- Apply antifungal spray to hands post-treatment
Correct answer: Postpone treatment and notify the owner of zoonotic risk
Dermatophytosis is a zoonotic fungal infection; treatment should be postponed until the condition is resolved, and the owner must be informed of the human transmission risk.
Question 4: The recommended contact time for a glutaraldehyde-based disinfectant to achieve high-level disinfection is:
- 30 seconds
- 2–5 minutes
- 10 minutes
- 45 minutes or more (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 45 minutes or more
High-level disinfection with glutaraldehyde typically requires 45 minutes or more of wet contact time to eliminate all pathogens except high-level prion contamination.
Question 5: Which personal protective equipment (PPE) is most critical when working in a stable with a suspected equine herpesvirus (EHV) outbreak?
- Safety glasses only
- Gloves and dedicated stable footwear or boot covers (Correct answer)
- N95 respirator only
- Full face shield and gown
Correct answer: Gloves and dedicated stable footwear or boot covers
EHV spreads via direct contact and fomites, so gloves and dedicated footwear or disposable boot covers are the most critical PPE to prevent mechanical transmission.
Question 6: What is the primary reason for using a separate set of adjustment instruments or padded wedges for each horse?
- To comply with insurance requirements
- To prevent cross-contamination between patients (Correct answer)
- To improve the precision of adjustments
- To reduce wear on shared equipment
Correct answer: To prevent cross-contamination between patients
Using dedicated instruments per horse prevents cross-contamination of pathogens between equine patients, which is a fundamental infection control principle.
Question 7: A chiropractic practitioner develops a needlestick-like puncture wound from a horse's hoof nail during a farm visit. The first action should be:
- Apply antiseptic and continue the session
- Immediately irrigate the wound with clean running water and soap (Correct answer)
- Cover with a bandage and monitor for 24 hours
- Administer prophylactic antibiotics from the farm kit
Correct answer: Immediately irrigate the wound with clean running water and soap
Immediate copious irrigation with soap and running water is the first response to a puncture wound to reduce the bacterial load and infection risk, followed by seeking medical evaluation.
ECC Safety & Infection Control 2
Which disinfectant class is most effective against MRSA on equine treatment surfaces?