The invisible world of bacteria found in veterinary sinks

Bacteria are quite simply, invisible! While most are smaller than can be seen by the naked eye, these tiny organisms play huge roles in our lives. Bacteria are found on all types of surfaces, including unexpected places like on sink taps or just below the plughole of handwashing sinks.  

We all know that handwashing is an important part of keeping clean and preventing infection, but did you know that bacteria can spread from sink drains onto nearby surfaces? Water flowing down the drain can cause bacterial masses, known as biofilms, to be dislodged and water droplets can disperse this material into the immediate vicinity. In hospital settings, this dispersal event has been blamed for infection outbreaks. Matters are made worse when the bacteria are resistant to antibiotics, and we are no longer able to easily treat the infections they cause. Research has been performed on the bacteria within this setting, however, our knowledge of what lives in sinks within veterinary settings is limited. Unlike in human healthcare settings, sinks near where animals are handled may become contaminated with animal-derived substances including faecal material or residual food that provides a nutrient-rich soup for bacterial growth.

The main aim of this project is to describe the range and complexity of the bacterial community found in sinks located in veterinary settings. We will compare what we find to the communities found in human healthcare environments. In a pilot study, we found that sinks in dog and cat rooms were populated with bacteria resistant to a number of antibiotics. Work is now beginning on a larger-scale, year-long sampling study with the goal of raising awareness to the presence, and potential risk, of this hidden reservoir, thereby leading us towards a healthier and more sustainable future.