Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
transport. Transporters must be authorized and are subject
to inspection. All shipments must be carefully planned in
advance. Care must be taken to ensure availability of
adequate food, water, and ventilation and a journey log
must document the transport process. Transport equipment
and animals are subject to inspection at border crossings.
If air travel is used, the live animal transport guidelines set
forth by the International Air Transport Association must
be followed.
The duration of quarantine at receiving institutions is
not mandated by these regulations. However, guidelines set
forth in US law for a minimum primary quarantine period
should strongly be considered at institutions that import
animals from countries outside of the EU and facilities that
receive NHPs from other institutions within the EU should
strongly consider an institutional quarantine as outlined in
this chapter.
retrovirus, herpes B virus, and simian T-lymphotropic
virus) from certain Rhesus macaque breeding colonies.
More recently, smaller groups of Rhesus macaques that
are free of an expanded set of viral and bacterial agents
have been developed to meet various research needs,
though the availability of these animals is extremely
limited (
Mansfield, 2005
; Barry and Strelow, 2008). An
SPF baboon colony has also been established targeting 12
viral agents in addition to Mycobacterium tuberculosis
(
Wolf et al., 2010
).
Unfortunately, it is not always possible to obtain SPF
animals, or even domestic animals, due to availability or
a variety of economic, political, or other concerns. Quality
animals can be obtained from foreign sources, but care
should be taken to limit the potential risks associated with
this and familiarity with source colonies is of utmost
important. One should also consider that animals housed
outdoors at domestic facilities are exposed to a much wider
variety of infectious agents than animals raised indoors
which may influence quarantine procedures.
It is important for purchasers of NHPs to become
familiar with the risks associated with animals from
different source countries. For example, although the
incidence of TB disease has decreased greatly in North
America and Europe over the last several decades, there is
still a high human infection rate in the major NHP source
continents of Asia, Africa, and South America (
Jassal and
Bishai, 2010
). Because of this, animals obtained from
source colonies in these locations likely have a higher risk
of TB infection than those from Europe and the USA and
outbreaks of TB have been reported in imported primates in
recent years (
Garcia et al., 2004b; Lerche et al., 2008;
Panarella and Bimes, 2010
). While animals originating
from these countries can be safely imported and used
in research, it is important to follow strict guidelines for
TB diagnosis and management including a thorough TB
screening regimen prior to shipment.
Other Countries
Discussing the various laws and regulations of every
country is beyond the scope of this chapter. However, one
should always consult local, state, and national laws prior
to importation or shipment of NHPs. Briefly, in the UK, the
Animal Welfare Act 2006
regulates the use of animals in
research and their transport is regulated by the
Welfare of
Animals (Transport) Order 2006
(2006). In Canada,
importation and transit through Canada is regulated by the
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (2009)
. In China, the
Guideline on the Humane Treatment of Animals governs
the care and transport of laboratory animals (
Kong and Qin,
2009
).
Source of Animals
Most research institutions acquire animals from importa-
tion facilities after animals undergo primary quarantine or
from domestic breeders. In general, the highest quality
NHPs are available from domestic (USA or European)
sources and these sources are preferred over those imported
from primary source countries. These animals have been
bred or held for a number of years, and therefore have
a defined and documented history, may have a defined
genetic profile or pedigree information available, and have
substantial medical records.
Additionally, there are a number of sources that
maintain specific-pathogen free (SPF) breeding colonies
of certain primate species. These colonies were estab-
lished under guidelines set forth by the National Center for
Research Resources (NCRR) beginning in 1988 and
continuing to this date (
Desrosiers, 1997; Morton et al.,
2008
). The original program targeted eradication of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis in addition to four viral
pathogens (simian immunodeficiency virus, simian type D
Preshipment Screening and Evaluation
Regardless of source, it is helpful to obtain as much
information as possible about an animal's clinical condition
and the source colony's overall disease risk profile prior to
acquisition, as this will help to eliminate the chance of
acquiring an NHP that may have active, chronic, or latent
health issues that could disqualify the animal as a research
subject or place the established NHP colonies of the
acquiring facility at risk. Consequently, facilities that
purchase, trade, or accept NHP donations should demand
a thorough database of information for all animals prior to
the initiation of the acquisition process. Veterinary review
of animal health records is of utmost importance to deter-
mine the underlying health of animals brought into any
facility. This process is aided by developing a long-term
