Infection is spread by inhalation,ingestion or direct contact; therefore, all work with animals or birds should be planned and carried out so as to minimise the risk of infection by these methods.

The "Petting Zoo Infection Control Guidelines" is a publication produced by the Department of Human Services, which is available at their website.
For more information click here

Listed below are some general guidelines for control.

• Protective gloves, boots and clothing should be worn. They should be cleaned regularly to avoid spreading infection, and stored away from the house.
• Special care must be taken when handling sick animals.
• All workers handling animals should be trained in proper handling procedures to avoid infection.
• Milk should be pasteurised or boiled.
• People must avoid contact with potentially contaminated water or wear protective boots or gloves when work necessitates contact with such water.
• Rats and mice should be eradicated whenever possible.
• There should be adequate drainage in farm areas and the hygienic disposal of effluent, particularly from piggeries.
• Cuts and abrasions should be treated immediately. All cuts, abrasions and wounds should be covered with a moistureproof dressing while working.
• Splashes of animal material on clothing, equipment or skin should be removed as soon as possible.
• Protective clothing and equipment, such as face and eye protection, gloves and impervious boots, should be available and used as a matter of routine. Such clothing should not be worn in the home and should be cleaned and stored separately.
• Thorough washing of hands after contact with animals, before eating, drinking or smoking.
• Protect animal and human food and drinking water from contamination by animal excreta. Ensure hygienic disposal of all human waste.
• Use handling procedures during slaughtering which ensure that contamination of the carcasses by faecal material, intestinal contents, hide or fleece is 'kept to a minimum'.
• Ensure hygienic production and cold storage of eggs, hygienic preparation of egg products and effective heat treatment before distribution.
• Eliminate mosquito breeding sites by screening the house, covering water tanks, getting rid of stagnant water in puddles, rubbish tips or containers.
• Take steps to reduce flies on the farm by covering sewerage pits and drains, careful disposal of rubbish and hygienic disposal of animal and human waste.
• Ensure thorough cleansing of hands and arms if a fevered animal carcass or any other potentially infective material has been handled.
• Arrange for hygienic disposal of all animal waste. Placental and other birth material should be burnt or buried, and contaminated litter should be burnt.
• Trucks carrying livestock should be regularly disinfected.
• Infected animals awaiting slaughter should be segregated in an area that can be readily disinfected.
Such animals should be slaughtered at the end of the day's operations.
• All slaughtering, washing and cleaning procedures should minimise the opportunity for spillage or splash.
• All utensils, instruments' machinery. chutes, floors and other areas of potential contamination should be regularly cleaned using suitable cleaning agents.
• Regularly clean and disinfect, preferably with steam, work benches and equipment in slaughterhouses.
• Take care when handling animals with mouth sores, such as when feeding lambs from bottles, crutching, shearing, marking and mulesing.
• Pigs are a common source of acute infection in calves. For this reason, pigs and cattle should be raised separately. Pigs should not be permitted access to cattle areas.
• It is important to follow the correct animal vaccination schedule and vets should be consulted to ensure that the appropriate vaccine is used.
• Dogs should be kept away from animal carcasses and offal should be buried in deep pits.
• Hunting dogs should not be permitted to feed on wallabies, kangaroos or pigs.
• Wild and stray dogs and cats should be destroyed.
• The number of working dogs in sheep areas should be kept to a minimum.