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Animal Care and Use Committee
Policy #15
Approved April 16, 2007
Effective June 15, 2007
Disease Management Policy
Scope:
This policy applies to all facilities managed by the Department of Laboratory Animal Resources.
References:
Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, ILAR/NRC, 1996
http://books.nap.edu/books/0309053773/html/index.html
Purpose:
Surveillance, diagnosis, treatment, and control of disease are integral components of adequate veterinary care (Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animal Care, 1996). Subclinical microbial, particularly viral, infections can occur in barrier- and conventionally- maintained animals. Such infections can seriously compromise experimental protocols by inducing profound changes in immunologic, physiologic, neoplastic, and toxicologic responses in infected animals. Therefore, control and elimination of known pathogens is vital for good science, as well as the health and well being of research animals.
Policy:
To effectively prevent, eradicate, or manage infectious disease, the following actions are necessary:
- Animal health monitoring (e.g., serology, parasite examinations) will be performed under the direction of the laboratory animal veterinarian.
- Animals must be procured from veterinary-approved vendors. Animals from other sources may not enter UW animal facilities unless approved by a laboratory animal veterinarian.
- Cages or animals must not be moved between animal rooms, labs, and/or facilities without veterinary approval.
- Procedure areas (dedicated animal procedure rooms, laboratory space, or shared equipment) must be disinfected after each use or as appropriate.
- Movement of personnel between facilities or between rooms within a facility must occur in such a manner as to prevent potential spread of disease.
- Personal protective equipment (PPE) must be appropriate for the animal species, facility, and disease status of facility.
- For the purposes of disease management and eradication, all animal space assignment must be under veterinary direction.
- Testing (e.g., by PCR, MAP testing, etc.) of cell lines, tumors from outside the animal room, hybridomas, sera, and other biologicals must be conducted before such materials are given to animals to prevent the introduction of disease into animal colonies.
- All nonstandard feed, bedding, housing, and environmental enrichment (e.g., seeds, nonstandard diets, pine bedding, etc.) must be approved in an animal care and use protocol. A laboratory animal veterinarian must approve, in advance, appropriate preparation (autoclaving, gas sterilizing, etc.) for each of these materials before they come into contact with animals.
All actions will be implemented so as to minimize impact on research.
Investigator Responsibilities
The investigator must assure that all guidelines above are followed by all of their personnel. Failure to follow these actions may result in suspension of animal use privileges, in order to protect valuable research resources.
Veterinary Staff and Laboratory Animal Resources (LAR) Responsibilities
The veterinary staff has authority to enforce compliance with this policy.
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