Animals and Allergens

Risk Assessment for Work with Research Animals Risks associated with the research agent used in Risks associated with the research agent used in

the animalthe animal chemical, physical, biologicalchemical, physical, biological

Risks associated with the species of animal usedRisks associated with the species of animal used zoonotic agentszoonotic agents

Risks associated with animal maintenanceRisks associated with animal maintenance ergonomic factors, bites, scratches, allergensergonomic factors, bites, scratches, allergens

Risks Associated with the Agent Used Chemical agentsChemical agents

carcinogens, mutagenscarcinogens, mutagens toxic chemicalstoxic chemicals anestheticsanesthetics

Physical agentsPhysical agents radiationradiation heatheat soundsound

Risks Associated with the Agent Used Potentially biohazardous agentsPotentially biohazardous agents

deliberate use of an infectious agent in deliberate use of an infectious agent in animals for research purposesanimals for research purposes

maintenance of infected animal for maintenance of infected animal for duration of experimentduration of experiment

sacrifice, necropsy and harvesting of sacrifice, necropsy and harvesting of

agent or infected tissueagent or infected tissue

Transmission of Biohazards During Work with Animals AirborneAirborne Release of infectious aerosols by animal by Release of infectious aerosols by animal by

sneezing, coughingsneezing, coughing Release during nasal infection or aerosol Release during nasal infection or aerosol

challengechallenge Aerosolization from bedding and excretaAerosolization from bedding and excreta During surgical proceduresDuring surgical procedures During birthing During birthing

Transmission of Biohazards During Work with Animals

Direct InoculationDirect Inoculation Needlesticks during injection/inoculation Needlesticks during injection/inoculation

processprocess Bites and scratches from infected animalBites and scratches from infected animal

Transmission of Biohazards During Work with AnimalsDirect exposure of mucous membranesDirect exposure of mucous membranes

(by splash or splatter)(by splash or splatter) During surgical proceduresDuring surgical procedures During injectionDuring injection During necropsyDuring necropsy

Transmission of Biohazards During Work with Animals

Indirect transmission and ingestionIndirect transmission and ingestion From contaminated hands or gloves to mouthFrom contaminated hands or gloves to mouth Facial contamination directly from animalFacial contamination directly from animal Transfer of parasites by animal handlingTransfer of parasites by animal handlingIndirect transmission with eye or mucousIndirect transmission with eye or mucousmembrane exposuremembrane exposure Dust from beddingDust from bedding Splash during cage washingSplash during cage washing ““Dirty” environmentDirty” environment

Risk Reduction: Containment of Infectious Agent Containment must include:Containment must include:

Primary containmentPrimary containment Enclosed filtered caging systemEnclosed filtered caging system Biosafety cabinetsBiosafety cabinets Safety equipmentSafety equipment PPEPPE

Secondary containmentSecondary containment The containment facilityThe containment facility

• Negative pressurizationNegative pressurization• Nonrecirculated air supplyNonrecirculated air supply• Ventilation must consider wellbeing of animal Ventilation must consider wellbeing of animal

Containment Caging Systems

No ContainmentNo Containment Open (standard) cageOpen (standard) cage

Some ContainmentSome Containment Filter top cageFilter top cage

(microisolator cage)(microisolator cage) Full ContainmentFull Containment

Fully enclosed in Fully enclosed in

ventilated rackventilated rack

Containment Caging Systems

Microisolator CageMicroisolator Cage works like a Petri dishworks like a Petri dish open gaps around lid edge allow limited air open gaps around lid edge allow limited air

exchangeexchange may lead to more labor intensive husbandry due may lead to more labor intensive husbandry due

to moisture and ammonia buildupto moisture and ammonia buildup

Containment Caging Systems

Individual cages sealed into rack with Individual cages sealed into rack with supplied air under negative pressuresupplied air under negative pressure

Both supply and exhaust usually HEPA Both supply and exhaust usually HEPA filteredfiltered

Ventilation must control humidity and Ventilation must control humidity and buildup of ammoniabuildup of ammonia

Containment Caging Systems

Can install cages in class III biosafety Can install cages in class III biosafety cabinetcabinet

Cages are completely contained with glove Cages are completely contained with glove port accessport access

Very motion-limitingVery motion-limiting Transfer in and out may be an issueTransfer in and out may be an issue

Containment Caging Systems

BioBubble (Ft. Collins, CO) makes soft-BioBubble (Ft. Collins, CO) makes soft-wall ventilated enclosureswall ventilated enclosures

Can be containment or barrier styleCan be containment or barrier style Large equipment can be surface-mounted in Large equipment can be surface-mounted in

wallwall

Special Animal Housing Situations

Barrier coloniesBarrier colonies Special breeds - Special breeds - often immunocompromised, often immunocompromised,

“fragile”, expensive (SCID-Hu, nude athymics)“fragile”, expensive (SCID-Hu, nude athymics) Transgenics - Transgenics - often even more fragile and often even more fragile and

expensive (knockouts, microinjected, combos)expensive (knockouts, microinjected, combos) Specific pathogen-free (SPFSpecific pathogen-free (SPF) - bred and raised ) - bred and raised

to be missing certain specific microorganismsto be missing certain specific microorganisms Isolation coloniesIsolation colonies

Extensive SPFsExtensive SPFs and and defined floradefined flora animals animals GnotobiotesGnotobiotes (an entirely different animal!) (an entirely different animal!)

Zoonoses

Zoonotic diseaseZoonotic disease: A disease of animals that : A disease of animals that can be transmitted under natural conditions can be transmitted under natural conditions and cause disease in humansand cause disease in humans Wild caught animals most hazardousWild caught animals most hazardous Random source animals (e.g., from a Random source animals (e.g., from a

pound) are also a riskpound) are also a risk Purpose bred animals pose least riskPurpose bred animals pose least risk

Some Animals and Their Zoonoses AnimalAnimal Macaque monkeysMacaque monkeys SheepSheep White mouseWhite mouse Dogs, cats, skunks, Dogs, cats, skunks,

raccoons, batsraccoons, bats Cattle, NHPCattle, NHP CatsCats Parrots, macawsParrots, macaws ChickensChickens

DiseaseDisease Herpes B virusHerpes B virus Q feverQ fever HantavirusHantavirus RabiesRabies TuberculosisTuberculosis ToxoplasmosisToxoplasmosis PsittacosisPsittacosis Avian influenzaAvian influenza

Rodent Zoonoses

Rat bite fever (Rat bite fever (Streptobacillus moniliformis, Streptobacillus moniliformis, Spirillum minusSpirillum minus) ) transmission: direct contact (bites)transmission: direct contact (bites)

Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM, a virus)Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM, a virus) transmission: inhalationtransmission: inhalation

Leptospirosis (Leptospirosis (LeptospiraLeptospira spp.) spp.) transmission: inhalationtransmission: inhalation

Others include ringworm (fungal), scabies (mites, Others include ringworm (fungal), scabies (mites, an ectoparasite) an ectoparasite)

Transmission of Zoonoses

Enteric route (fecal/oral) Enteric route (fecal/oral) Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter,

Giardia, Toxoplasma, Cryptosporidium,Giardia, Toxoplasma, Cryptosporidium,

EntamoebaEntamoeba, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis A Respiratory route Respiratory route

Q fever, Q fever, ChlamydiaChlamydia, Measles, Measles Skin contact Skin contact

Ringworm (Tinea), Measles, MonkeypoxRingworm (Tinea), Measles, Monkeypox

Control of Zoonoses

Get information on Get information on species and agentspecies and agent

Quarantine animals prior Quarantine animals prior to useto use

Use Engineering controlsUse Engineering controls facility construction and facility construction and

secondary barrierssecondary barriers

Consider the need for Consider the need for containment cagingcontainment caging

Use Administrative Use Administrative controlscontrols written SOPs and written SOPs and

manualsmanuals

Use PPEUse PPE additional protection for additional protection for

workerworker

Practice good facility and Practice good facility and personal hygienepersonal hygiene

Provide staff trainingProvide staff training

Laboratory Acquired Allergies (LAA) Significant occupational diseaseSignificant occupational disease Affects >30% of all personnel working with Affects >30% of all personnel working with

animalsanimals No minimum safe exposure levels to allergens No minimum safe exposure levels to allergens

have been establishedhave been established Animal allergens found in hair, dander, urine, Animal allergens found in hair, dander, urine,

saliva, serumsaliva, serum fel-d-fel-d-l cat allergen (in saliva and thus on skin) l cat allergen (in saliva and thus on skin)

is one of the strongest allergens known for is one of the strongest allergens known for humanshumans

Sources of Exposure to LAA

Hair and dander shed Hair and dander shed from animalfrom animal

Urine and feces dried Urine and feces dried in beddingin bedding

Particulates shed from Particulates shed from bedding materialbedding material

Animal salivaAnimal saliva

Routes of Exposure to LAA

Inhalation of airborne allergensInhalation of airborne allergens during cage changingduring cage changing during animal handlingduring animal handling

Skin or eye contactSkin or eye contact usually indirect by touching skin, eyesusually indirect by touching skin, eyes

Percutaneous exposurePercutaneous exposure animal bites (saliva)animal bites (saliva)

Risk Factors for Development of LAA Exposure to allergensExposure to allergens

durationduration frequencyfrequency intensityintensity

Previous allergic conditionsPrevious allergic conditions Other predisposing conditionsOther predisposing conditions

illnessillness ImmunocompromisedImmunocompromised petspets

LAA: Exposure Control

Engineering ControlsEngineering Controls enclosureenclosure dilution ventilationdilution ventilation

Administrative ControlsAdministrative Controls reduce time with animalsreduce time with animals reduce density of animalsreduce density of animals housekeeping practiceshousekeeping practices

Personal Protective EquipmentPersonal Protective Equipment respirators and clothingrespirators and clothing

Medical SurveillanceMedical Surveillance