Unintentional Needlestick Injuries in Livestock Production: A Case Series and Review

Abstract

Livestock producers and their employees sometimes experience unintentional needlestick injury (NSI) while vaccinating or injecting medications into animals. There is little published regarding the medical complications that can develop from this occupational exposure. The objectives of this study were to (1) perform a retrospective review of animal-related NSIs treated at a tertiary medical center of a rural state; and (2) review the risks of NSI and measures to decrease their occurrence. Medical records of patients with NSI related to animal injection were identified from the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics database from 2002 to 2008 and reviewed. Nine patients received medical care for NSI that occurred while vaccinating farm animals. Most common NSI site was the nondominant hand and most occurred while attempting to inject the animal. Soft tissue infection was common and all nine received oral and/or intravenous antibiotics. Two thirds required hospital admission. Three required surgery and one had a bedside incision and drainage procedure. One patient had a serious inflammatory reaction with necrosis in the leg due to the oil adjuvant in the animal vaccine. Another case had a probable mycetoma with osteomyelitis and soft tissue infection due to the bacteria Streptomyces, which is a NSI complication not previously reported. Although medical complications from farm-related NSIs do not appear to be common, this case series illustrates how these injuries can be debilitating, costly, and lead to loss of work time and productivity. Producers and employees who inject livestock need to be aware of the risks and utilize measures to decrease unintentional NSI.

Biologically Hazardous Agents at Work and Efforts to Protect Workers' Health: A Review of Recent Reports

“…Livestock producers and their employees sometimes experience unintentional needlestick injury while vaccinating animals or injecting them with medications. There are only a few published reports regarding the medical complications associated with such occupational exposure [72].…”

“…Prevention through public health surveillance is recommended, especially for individuals with occupational exposures to swine and raw pork [81]. Although medical complications from farm-related needlestick injuries do not appear to be common, producers and employees who inject livestock need to be aware of the related risks and take measures to decrease unintentional needlestick injury [72].…”

The Epidemiology of Blood-Contaminated Needlestick Injuries Among Veterinarians in Portugal

“…Additionally, other medical complications such as severe inflammation can occur with accidental injection of mineral oils. 16,17 Further work should also approach these complications.…”

“…14,15 Moreover, although medical complications from farm-related NIs seem uncommon, injuries can be debilitating and lead to loss of productivity. 16 In fact, unintentionally injected adjuvants such as mineral oils are known to cause severe inflammatory responses and generate significant incapacitation. 17 Furthermore, it is becoming apparent that NIs are relatively common in veterinary practice, but to date, studies on needle handling practices, risk factors, and NIs reporting practices are manifestly lacking.…”

Streptomyces cyaneus dermatitis in a dog

“…True infections are reported only rarely in the human literature, usually as opportunistic infections of penetrating wounds or from surgical contamination, although streptomyces pneumonia has been reported in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent humans or those with other complicating conditions . One human case occurred following a needlestick injury while the subject was vaccinating sheep and multiple cases associated with catheter infections have been documented . Streptomyces infections are less common than those caused by other actinomycetes, such as Actinomyces spp.…”