1999
VETERINARY PUBLIC HEALTH
ELIGIBILITY
The candidate shall meet the prerequisites outlined in the College Information Brochure 1996 for Membership
in the discipline of Veterinary Public Health.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:
To demonstrate sound knowledge of the underlying principles and the application of these principles, and of
professional veterinary skills, knowledge and resources to the protection and improvement of human health.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SUBJECT
Veterinary Public Health embraces three general areas of knowledge - zoonoses, environmental hygiene and
food and meat science. A candidate should have basic knowledge in epidemiology, zoonoses, foodborne
infections and intoxications, meat inspection and hygiene (including poultry and fish), the principles of meat
science and technology, and hygiene of milk and milk products (including principles of dairy science and
dairy technology).
REQUIREMENTS:
The candidates should demonstrate
A sound knowledge of
1.
The aetiology, epidemiology, diagnosis and control of zoonotic diseases of Australia and New
Zealand
2.
The aetiology, epidemiology, diagnosis and control of non-zoonotic foodborne diseases of Australia
and New Zealand
3.
Food and meat hygiene, esp. food and meat inspection (ante- and post mortem) techniques, HACCP
approaches
a
Design and construction of abattoirs, meat processing establishments, cold rooms, meat
transport vehicles and meat processing equipment.
b
Ante-mortem inspection, humane slaughter and ritual slaughter.
c
Hygienic dressing and processing procedures.
i.
ii.
iii.
Boning room operations
Hot boning, meat fractions, mechanically deboned meat
Chiller and freezer management
d
Post-mortem inspection procedures, pathology and disposition including the principles
and the practices and disease track back.
e
Diagnosis of disease in the abattoir.
f
Basic principles of hygiene and sanitation including:
i.
ii.
iii.
g
Insect and vermin control
Water supplies
Use of disinfectants and detergents
Industrial safety
h
Animal Welfare
i.
4.
the welfare of food producing animals including the standards set out in the
official Code of Practice.
i
factors relating to hygienic production of fish and fish products
including molluscs and crustaceans including procurement of fish, anatomical and
physiological factors relating to fish quality, general principles of processing,
temperature control, fish pathology as related to fish quality and methods of
preservation of fish.
j
Codex Alimentarius and relevant national and international legislation governing meat,
fish and poultry inspection and hygiene.
Principles of Meat Science and Technology.
A candidate should study the following:
5.
i
Ante-mortem factors affecting meat quality.
ii
Physiological factors affecting humane stunning and slaughter.
iii
The physical and biochemical changes in muscle contractions and changes in muscle
post-mortem, with special reference to rigor and factors affecting physical and chemical
qualities of meat at room temperature and during chilling and freezing.
iv
Microbial spoilage of meat
v
Microbial sampling of meat and meat contact surfaces and equipment
vi
Carcass composition and classification, including cuts of meat, names of muscles which
make up cuts, trade (product) descriptions and consumer identification practices,
including Aus-Meat Standards
vii
Quality control and quality assurance
viii
Principles of preservation of meat including physical and chemical methods, e.g.
refrigeration, vacuum packaging, canning and curing, and technology and public health
aspects of making sausages and other small goods.
ix
Principles of species testing for meat and fish
x
Environmental hygiene including effluent treatment and disposal
xi
Physical processes applied to carcases, including electrical stimulation, massaging and
pasteurisation and acetic aciddecontamination.
xii
By products processing
Hygiene of Milk and Milk Products
A candidate should study the following:
a
The public health aspects of production, processing and marketing of bovine, caprine
and ovine milk and milk products.
b
Principles of quality control of milk and milk products
(Candidates should have a good appreciation of the methods for sampling and the tests
applied to milk and milk products to monitor and control quality and safety).
d.
Epidemiological and investigational techniques which could be employed in investigating
zoonotic and foodborne disease outbreaks
e.
Laboratory techniques used in the diagnosis and surveillance for zoonotic and foodborne
diseases
f.
The aetiology, epidemiology, diagnosis and control of zoonotic diseases exotic to Australia
and New Zealand
g.
Food and meat science and processing as it pertains to veterinary public health
The candidates should also have a basic knowledge/awareness of zoonoses and food/meat- borne
infections/intoxications exotic to Australia and New Zealand.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Texts:
1.
Synopsis of Zoonoses in Australia (1988). Stevenson WJ, Hughes KL. Commonwealth Department
of Community Services and Health, 2nd Ed., Canberra.
2.
Zoonoses in New Zealand. (1997) Wilks CR and Humble MW. Continuing Veterinary Education
Foundation, Massey University, Palmerston North.
3.
Introductory Veterinary Epidemiology. (1987) Blackmore DK and Harris RE. Massey University,
Palmerston North.
4.
Livestock disease surveys: a field manual for veterinarians (1982). Cannon and Roe. Australian
Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
5.
Meat Science (1991) Lawrie RA. 5ed. Pergamon Press, Oxford/New York
6.
Veterinary Public Health. (1991/2) Rev. Scientifique etTechnique Vol 10(4), 11(1)
7.
Lawrie, R.A. "Meat Science" 4th Ed. Pergamon Press, 1985.
8.
Brown, M.H. "Meat Microbiology" Applied Science Publishers, 1982.
9.
“Exotic Diseases of Animals”, Geering, W.A.; Forman, A.J.; Nunn, M. J, BRS publication,
Canberra, 1995
Journals
1.
Australian and NZ Veterinary Journal
2.
Medical Journal of Australia and NZ Medical Journal
3.
International Journal of Food Microbiology
4.
International Journal of Epidemiology
5.
Journal of Food Protection
6.
Preventive Veterinary Medicine
7.
Meat Science
8.
Emerging Infectious diseases - http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/index.htm
WWW resources
1.
ProMED - Project for the Monitoring of Emerging Diseases (Majordomo@usa.healthnet.org)
2.
Various electronic special interest lists, e.g. EpiVet-L (listproc@upei.ca)
3.
Online databases - Medline http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed/
Government reports
1.
Communicable Disease Intelligence (Australian Commonwealth Dept of Health and Family
Services) - http://www.health.gov.au/pubhlth/cdi/cdiintro.htm
2.
The NZ Public Health Report
3.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (online) – http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/mmwr_snd.html