Zoonoses are diseases and infections, including viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi, transmitted between animals and humans. Countless case reports and epidemiologic studies have documented occupational health risks from zoonotic diseases originating from laboratory animals or their tissues in biomedical research, teaching, and testing.
The medical consequences of these infections have been as diverse as the group of etiologies involved themselves, ranging from no outward symptoms to severe illness and death. Animals carrying these infections may appear healthy even though they are carrying and shedding these organisms.
Methods of transmission from animals to humans (and vice versa) include direct and indirect contact involving contaminated respiratory secretions, saliva, blood and other tissues, urine and feces, among others. It is therefore important to prevent penetrating bites, scratches and splashes of contaminated materials on the faces of animal workers. In this context, spread to humans can also be minimized by appropriate selection and use of personal protective equipment (gloves, gowns, masks, eye/face protection, etc.), appropriate work practices and , if possible, through the implementation of engineering controls such as safety needles, physical barriers and exhaust ventilation systems away from the source of danger. Indirect contact with contaminated surfaces or research instruments, including sharp objects and soiled cages, is also a very important source of contamination. Many zoonotic diseases are transmitted by vectors, where bites from ticks, mosquitoes, sandflies, mites, fleas, and other contaminated invertebrates are important transmission mechanisms. It is therefore important to prevent insect bites through appropriate clothing and appropriate use of insect repellents where they are present. Consumption of contaminated food or drink is also an extremely important source of exposure and one of the reasons why eating and drinking in or near areas where animals are found is prohibited.
Most animals kept in the University’s laboratory animal facilities come from commercial vendors who have successfully eliminated all or most zoonotic agents from their colonies and ongoing health control programs verify their absence. However, the wide variety of University faculty research programs involve many species, both captive and wild, around the world, each with its own set of actual or potential zoonotic diseases. Animal users should be educated on this topic, how to recognize an infection, and where to seek evaluation and treatment as soon as possible.
Animal handlers are at increased risk of work-related allergies, most commonly to rodents and rabbits, and sensitized people with continuous, uncontrolled exposure may sometimes suffer from asthma and even occasional anaphylaxis. A risk assessment with respiratory protection requirements exists to identify and limit exposure to these allergens. This was developed specifically for the University and the key features of this risk have been incorporated into the occupational health program for animal workers.
Below is a list of some of the most relevant resources available to the research community:
