ALAT Chapter 13 Colony Health Surveillance

Colony Health Surveillance in Laboratory Animals

• Animal health surveillance is crucial in maintaining healthy research animals and ensuring quality research.

• The surveillance program begins before animals are received, with information required from vendors on the health status of the animals.

• Large animals should be procured from approved commercial vendors with established animal care programs.

• Laboratory animal facilities should have a species-specific health surveillance program.

• Animal care technicians play a vital role in observing animals for signs of illness or poor health.

• Early detection of illness is important in preventing the spread of disease within the colony and promoting animal welfare.

• Malnutrition can cause disease and deficiencies or excesses in the diet should be avoided.

• Pathogens can cause infectious diseases, and early detection is important for the care and health of individual animals and the colony.

• Parasites can infest animals, and signs such as diarrhea, vomiting, and skin lesions should be immediately reported.

• Environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and ventilation can affect the animal's physiology and research outcomes.

• Contaminants such as mold in bedding and cleaning agents in aquatic housing can be harmful to animals.

• Disease can also be caused by degenerative changes, aging, improper handling, allergic responses, and experimental manipulation.Preventing Disease in Laboratory Animal Facilities

• Infectious organisms can be transmitted to laboratory animals through vectors, contact, and fomites.

• High-quality husbandry practices, such as sanitizing gloves and cages, can significantly reduce pathogen transmission.

• Sentinel animals are tested to detect viruses, bacteria, and parasites in the colony, and are rotated on a schedule.

• Direct and indirect sentinel programs are used to detect pathogens transmitted by direct or indirect contact.

• Environmental testing and PCR tests can also be used to detect pathogens in the colony.

• Ferrets, laboratory cats and dogs may be vaccinated against specific diseases.

• TB testing is necessary for NHPs and staff working with them.

• Isolation areas prevent the spread of infectious diseases to other animals and personnel.

• Dead animals should be removed and disposed of properly to prevent disease transmission.

• As an ALAT, it is important to understand how diseases spread and how to prevent outbreaks.

• Knowing the signs of disease and learning about diseases from veterinarians and investigators is crucial.

• Proper disease prevention and control measures are necessary to ensure the accuracy and reliability of research data obtained from laboratory animals.

Colony Health Surveillance in Laboratory Animals

• Animal health surveillance is crucial in maintaining healthy research animals and ensuring quality research.

• The surveillance program begins before animals are received, with information required from vendors on the health status of the animals.

• Large animals should be procured from approved commercial vendors with established animal care programs.

• Laboratory animal facilities should have a species-specific health surveillance program.

• Animal care technicians play a vital role in observing animals for signs of illness or poor health.

• Early detection of illness is important in preventing the spread of disease within the colony and promoting animal welfare.

• Malnutrition can cause disease and deficiencies or excesses in the diet should be avoided.

• Pathogens can cause infectious diseases, and early detection is important for the care and health of individual animals and the colony.

• Parasites can infest animals, and signs such as diarrhea, vomiting, and skin lesions should be immediately reported.

• Environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and ventilation can affect the animal's physiology and research outcomes.

• Contaminants such as mold in bedding and cleaning agents in aquatic housing can be harmful to animals.

• Disease can also be caused by degenerative changes, aging, improper handling, allergic responses, and experimental manipulation.Preventing Disease in Laboratory Animal Facilities

• Infectious organisms can be transmitted to laboratory animals through vectors, contact, and fomites.

• High-quality husbandry practices, such as sanitizing gloves and cages, can significantly reduce pathogen transmission.

• Sentinel animals are tested to detect viruses, bacteria, and parasites in the colony, and are rotated on a schedule.

• Direct and indirect sentinel programs are used to detect pathogens transmitted by direct or indirect contact.

• Environmental testing and PCR tests can also be used to detect pathogens in the colony.

• Ferrets, laboratory cats and dogs may be vaccinated against specific diseases.

• TB testing is necessary for NHPs and staff working with them.

• Isolation areas prevent the spread of infectious diseases to other animals and personnel.

• Dead animals should be removed and disposed of properly to prevent disease transmission.

• As an ALAT, it is important to understand how diseases spread and how to prevent outbreaks.

• Knowing the signs of disease and learning about diseases from veterinarians and investigators is crucial.

• Proper disease prevention and control measures are necessary to ensure the accuracy and reliability of research data obtained from laboratory animals.

Colony Health Surveillance in Laboratory Animals

• Animal health surveillance is crucial in maintaining healthy research animals and ensuring quality research.

• The surveillance program begins before animals are received, with information required from vendors on the health status of the animals.

• Large animals should be procured from approved commercial vendors with established animal care programs.

• Laboratory animal facilities should have a species-specific health surveillance program.

• Animal care technicians play a vital role in observing animals for signs of illness or poor health.

• Early detection of illness is important in preventing the spread of disease within the colony and promoting animal welfare.

• Malnutrition can cause disease and deficiencies or excesses in the diet should be avoided.

• Pathogens can cause infectious diseases, and early detection is important for the care and health of individual animals and the colony.

• Parasites can infest animals, and signs such as diarrhea, vomiting, and skin lesions should be immediately reported.

• Environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and ventilation can affect the animal's physiology and research outcomes.

• Contaminants such as mold in bedding and cleaning agents in aquatic housing can be harmful to animals.

• Disease can also be caused by degenerative changes, aging, improper handling, allergic responses, and experimental manipulation.Preventing Disease in Laboratory Animal Facilities

• Infectious organisms can be transmitted to laboratory animals through vectors, contact, and fomites.

• High-quality husbandry practices, such as sanitizing gloves and cages, can significantly reduce pathogen transmission.

• Sentinel animals are tested to detect viruses, bacteria, and parasites in the colony, and are rotated on a schedule.

• Direct and indirect sentinel programs are used to detect pathogens transmitted by direct or indirect contact.

• Environmental testing and PCR tests can also be used to detect pathogens in the colony.

• Ferrets, laboratory cats and dogs may be vaccinated against specific diseases.

• TB testing is necessary for NHPs and staff working with them.

• Isolation areas prevent the spread of infectious diseases to other animals and personnel.

• Dead animals should be removed and disposed of properly to prevent disease transmission.

• As an ALAT, it is important to understand how diseases spread and how to prevent outbreaks.

• Knowing the signs of disease and learning about diseases from veterinarians and investigators is crucial.

• Proper disease prevention and control measures are necessary to ensure the accuracy and reliability of research data obtained from laboratory animals.

Introduction to Surgical Instruments and Materials

• Quality surgical instruments are expensive and can deteriorate rapidly if mishandled.

• Laboratory animal technicians should be familiar with commonly used instruments and how to clean and sterilize them.

• Surgery on laboratory animals is a common procedure in biomedical research.

• Forceps are tweezer-like instruments used for compressing, securing, or grasping tissue or dressings.

• Hemostatic forceps are designed to clamp onto bleeding tissue containing a severed vessel.

• Allis tissue forceps exert minimal damage to tissues while providing a strong grip.

• Needle holders secure the needles used to suture tissues closed and are used for knot tying.

• Surgical needles are described by their shaft shape and point type of the tip.

• Suture materials must be strong yet pliable, easily sterilized, and cause minimal reactions in the body.

• Suture materials can be made from natural or synthetic materials and can be absorbable or nonabsorbable.

• Suture materials are sized by their diameter using a numbering system established by the United States Pharmacopeia.

• In place of sutures, wound clips or surgical adhesives can be used for skin wound closure.Surgical Instruments and Sterilization Techniques

• Surgical instruments are categorized by their function and structure, such as scissors, retractors, and dental instruments.

• Scissors can be blunt-blunt, blunt-sharp, or sharp-sharp, and are designed for specific purposes like dissecting tissue or cutting sutures.

• Retractors are used to increase exposure of a surgical site, and can be handheld or self-retaining with wide, curved or angled blades.

• Dental instruments, like scalers, elevators, and forceps, are used for treating diseased or fractured teeth and performing extractions.

• All surgical instruments must be cleaned immediately after use to prevent materials from adhering to them and causing damage, and should be given individual attention during the cleaning process.

• Sterilization methods for surgical instruments and materials include autoclave, ethylene oxide gas, hydrogen peroxide plasma, dry heat, or liquid sterilants.

• Autoclave sterilization is the most common method for wrapped packs, while gas sterilization is used for heat-sensitive items like plastics and electronics.

• Sterilization methods require proper cleaning, arrangement, spacing, and labeling of packs to ensure effectiveness, and indicators are used to show proper sterilization has occurred.

• Glass bead sterilizers are used for quickly resterilizing metal surgical instruments, but only the tips should come into contact with living tissue.

• Liquid chemical sterilization is used for heat-sensitive instruments and devices that can be immersed in liquid, but some agents like aldehydes can be irritating to tissues and cause respiratory illnesses.

• When performing multiple rodent surgeries, instruments should be initially autoclaved, cleaned after each surgery, and resterilized before contact with the next animal.

• Proficiency in using surgical instruments for tissue handling and wound closure is essential for technicians performing rodent surgeries.

Test your knowledge on colony health surveillance and disease prevention in laboratory animals with this informative quiz. From detecting signs of illness to implementing proper disease control measures, this quiz covers important topics for maintaining healthy research animals and ensuring accurate research data. Keywords: animal health surveillance, pathogen transmission, sentinel animals, disease prevention, laboratory animals.