Occupational risks during a monkeypox outbreak, Wisconsin, 2003.
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We determined factors associated with occupational transmission in Wisconsin during the 2003 outbreak of prairie dog--associated monkeypox virus infections. Our investigation included active contact surveillance, exposure-related interviews, and a veterinary facility cohort study. We identified 19 confirmed, 5 probable, and 3 suspected cases. Rash, headache, sweats, and fever were reported by > 80% of patients. Occupationally transmitted infections occurred in 12 veterinary staff, 2 pet store employees, and 2 animal distributors. The following were associated with illness: working directly with animal care (p = 0.002), being involved in prairie dog examination, caring for an animal within 6 feet of an ill prairie dog (p = 0.03), feeding an ill prairie dog (p = 0.002), and using an antihistamine (p = 0.04). Having never handled an ill prairie dog (p = 0.004) was protective. Veterinary staff used personal protective equipment sporadically. Our findings underscore the importance of standard veterinary infection-control guidelines. (+info)
Chlamydophila psittaci transmission from pet birds to humans.
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Comparison of technicians' ability to detect clinical signs in rats housed in wire-bottom versus solid-bottom cages with bedding.
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Rodent toxicology studies have historically been performed in wire-bottom cages, but the 1996 Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals recommends solid-bottom caging with bedding. Some investigators have expressed concern that changing to solid-bottom cages would interfere with technicians' ability to detect clinical signs. To test this hypothesis, rats were housed in both types of caging and given compounds to induce a variety of subtle clinical signs common to toxicology studies including chromodacryorrhea, soft stool, stereotypic behaviors, mild hypoactivity, abnormal postures, and discolored urine. For one comparison, fecal pellets were removed to simulate decreased production of feces. Technicians, blinded from knowing which animals had been treated, observed the rats and recorded the clinical signs they detected. The technicians who administered the treatments verified that clinical signs were present before and after the blinded technicians made their observations. The number of animals observed with clinical signs divided by the number of animals verified with signs was calculated for each compound and compared between the cage types by using the Fisher Exact Test. The only statistically significant difference observed was a diminished ability to detect discolored, dark urine from rats in wire-bottom cages. These results suggest that concerns about technical staff's inability to detect clinical signs in toxicity tests should not prevent investigators from using solid-bottom cages with bedding. (+info)
Improving animal research facility operations through the application of lean principles.
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Animal research is a vital component of US research and well-functioning animal research facilities are critical both to the research itself and to the housing and feeding of the animals. The Office of Animal Care (OAC) at Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute realized it had to improve the efficiency and safety of its animal research facility (ARF) to prepare for expansion and to advance the Institute's mission. The main areas for improvement concerned excessive turnaround time to process animal housing and feeding equipment; the movement and flow of equipment and inventory; and personnel safety. To address these problems, management held two process improvement workshops to educate employees about lean principles. In this article we discuss the application of these principles and corresponding methods to advance Children's Research Institute's mission of preventing, treating, and eliminating childhood diseases. (+info)
Quality control validation, application of sigma metrics, and performance comparison between two biochemistry analyzers in a commercial veterinary laboratory.
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A review of the literature pertinent to interpretation of biochemistry data and quality control (QC) and proficiency testing data from 2 biochemistry analyzers was used to determine clinical quality requirements for biochemistry assays, characterize the performance of and calculate sigma metrics for the analytes run on the 2 analyzers, and perform QC validation in order to determine the needs for statistical QC for each analyzer. Quality requirements suitable for the analytes based on the needs of the authors' laboratory are presented. These requirements may or may not be appropriate for other laboratories, depending on the needs of the clients, species, and equipment performance capability. The majority of the analytes were easily controlled using the 1(3s) control rule, with a sigma metric approaching or exceeding 6 and with a high probability of error detection and a low probability of false rejection. Some analytes could not be controlled using the 1(3s) rule, and additional control rules with a greater number of control data points were required. There were differences between performances of the 2 analyzers. The findings in the present study emphasize the need for QC specific for the analyte and the clinical decision level and the need for separate QC validation on every instrument. (+info)
Teaching neurophysiology, neuropharmacology, and experimental design using animal models of psychiatric and neurological disorders.
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A survey of needle handling practices and needlestick injuries in veterinary technicians.
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A survey of veterinary technicians identified that needlestick injuries are very common, with 210/226 (93%) technicians reporting at least one needlestick injury over the course of their career. One hundred sixty-seven (74%) had experienced a needlestick injury during the preceding year. Exposure to animal blood and various drugs was common. It was particularly concerning that needlestick injuries involving chemotherapeutic agents and prostaglandin were reported. Eight (3.5%) technicians had required medical care for a needlestick injury and 2 (0.8%) had lost time at work. The approach to sharps handling and needlestick injury avoidance was poor and most needlestick injuries had not been reported to employers. Measures need to be undertaken to improve sharps handling practices to reduce the number of needlestick injuries among veterinary technicians. (+info)
Antibody levels against rabies among occupationally exposed individuals in a Nigerian University.
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The authors investigated the levels of anti-glycoprotein antibodies against rabies virus in the sera of occupationally exposed humans at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. A quantitative indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect rabies virus anti-glycoprotein antibodies in sera from 20 zoological garden workers, 20 veterinarians and 30 clinical veterinary students at the University of Ibadan. The sera were obtained between September 2008 and February 2009. Of these 70 healthy individuals, 29 (41.4%) consisting of 15 zoological garden workers (75.0%), 13 veterinarians (65.0%) and 1 veterinary student (3.3%) were immune to rabies virus (antibody titre > or =0.5 equivalent units per ml), while 41 (58.6%) were not immune. The prevalence of rabies anti-glycoprotein antibody was higher within the older segment of the study population than among the younger veterinary students. Almost all those who had spent at least 10 years on the job had higher levels of rabies vaccination compliance and were immune. Our results indicated that there is low anti-rabies immunity among occupationally exposed individuals at the University of Ibadan. There is a need for a complete course of primary and booster vaccinations of professionals exposed to the rabies virus. The impact of these results on rabies control in Nigeria is discussed. (+info)