Through the distribution of handouts and verbal communications, veterinarians educate their clients in countless ways. Veterinary practitioners frequently communicate public health concepts. For example, they not only explain toxocariasis risks from kittens and pups but also reduce these risks by administering appropriate deworming medications.

The FSIS recognizes the major public health contributions made by veterinarians in their everyday practice activities. Thousands of veterinary clinics/hospitals in the United States provide a valuable educational "multiplier" resource for millions of Americans. People will frequently listen to and take action on what their veterinarian says.

Food safety measures performed by the FSIS entail many technical concepts that have been described in this column. However, many commonsense, practical, time-tested measures are available to further protect consumers. We hope veterinarians will share these methods with their clients as another public health service to their communities.

A Quick Consumer Guide to Safe Food Handling is a booklet available through the FSIS by contacting the USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline number - (800) 535-4555. The booklet provides useful consumer information on storing food properly by refrigeration and freezing; preparing raw food without cross-contaminating it; recommended temperatures for cooking meat, poultry, fish, and egg products; serving food safely; what should be done with leftovers; and how long perishables are good in refrigerators and freezers after a power outage.

Another important, frequently overlooked procedure for preventing foodborne illness is basic hand washing. This concept has been part of public health prevention concepts for many years. Washing minor cuts and lacerations with soap and water has been promoted in basic school health classes and first-aid courses. Veterinarians (and physicians) know that washing animal-bite wounds not only helps prevent common infections but also helps curtail the likelihood of virus infection, when the cleansing is done promptly and vigorously. Toxocariasis may be prevented by children washing their hands after playing with pets. People may also avoid Salmonella infections by washing their hands after handling turtles, iguanas, snakes, lizards, and other reptiles.

FSIS inspectors in slaughter and processing plants wash their hands frequently, especially before and after handling raw carcasses or meat and poultry products. Health care providers have referred to hand washing as a low-tech health practice. But this seemingly basic hygiene practice should be considered high priority in light of its proven benefits. It should gain the highest priority when we consider what can and does happen if omitted from everyday use.

Indeed, a Feb 5, 1996 Wall Street Journal article pointed out numerous, surprising reports in various prestigious medical journals (eg, Journal of the American Medical Association, Lancet) linking the breakdown of basic hygiene to outbreaks of bacterial and viral illness in human hospitals, nursing homes, and child-care centers. A large part of the problem is that hospital, nursing home, and day care center staffs, including physicians and nurses, do not wash their hands frequently enough between touching patients.

Foodborne illness prevention is no exception. To help prevent ingestion of harmful organisms (eg, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli O157:H7), consumers need to wash their hands after using the toilet, after diapering the baby, before preparing meals, before serving meals, before eating, before and after handling raw foods — especially meat, poultry, and fish products, and after playing with or touching pets or livestock.

For some reason, the message that hand washing could reduce exposure to a host of pathogens is often ignored. In an era when bacterial resistance to antibiotics is evolving at an alarming rate, the practice of washing hands (as well as washing cooking utensils, countertops, kitchen sinks, dishes, and cutting boards) should be second nature ... just like it is in veterinarians' offices between patients, and most certainly, in surgical suites. Health education on this subject has been insufficient. Veterinarians can make a substantial difference in this arena.

Prepared by Drs. Craig A. Reed, USDA-FSIS associate administrator, and Bruce Kaplan, USDA-FSIS public affairs specialist.