Rescue™ can be used to effectively remove protozoa and their oocysts from hard non-porous environmental surfaces as part of your bio-security program.
Infection Control and Biosecurity guidelines indicate that current cleaning and disinfection practices can minimize transmission of protozoa providing that care is taken to prevent contact with contaminated feces. One of the most important ways to reduce environmental contamination is by mechanical cleaning to physically remove as many oocysts as possible. Additionally, good hand hygiene and the use of personal protective equipment is also helpful when working with animals that may be shedding protozoa in their feces.
The oocysts of some parasites are very resistant to disinfection and will persist in the environment for a very long time. Examples of these are roundworms and coccidia. Other parasites, such as Giardia are quite fragile in the environment and are easily destroyed by most disinfectants as well as by drying. However, at present, EPA registered disinfectants with protozoa or single cell claims are associated with water treatment and not intended for use as an environmental surface disinfectant.
While Rescue™ does not carrying an efficacy claim against protozoa, we are aware of anecdotal evidence where facilities have successfully managed outbreaks of protozoa using Rescue™ at a 1:16 dilution (8oz/gallon of water) by focusing on cleaning and physical removal of the oocysts. The powerful detergents in Rescue™ will help to remove the oocysts from surfaces. To minimize transmitting protozoa or their oocysts to previously cleaned surfaces we do not recommend the use of high-pressure spray applications.
You may also find these resources useful:
- Shelter Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison: Managing Cryptosporidiosis in a Shelter Setting
- The Center for Food Security and Public Health: Giardiasis
- The Canadian Small Animal Infection Control Guideline
- Rescue Concentrate Claim Sheet
- Rescue Ready-to-Use Liquid Claim Sheet
- Rescue Wipes Claim Sheet
- Understand the importance of disinfectants and how they impact your patients and staff: Virox Learning
- Cleaning and Disinfection Protocol for Cages and Kennels
- Cleaning and Disinfection Protocol for Exam Rooms
- Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters
- Keep It Clean Brochure- Infection Control and Biosecurity in Veterinary Medicine
Video: How to use Rescue Concentrate
Video: How to use Rescue Ready-to-Use
Video: How to use Rescue Wipes