Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Prevention
Biosafety Level 2 is recommended. Diseases
spread by the fecal
e
oral route can only be contained by
good husbandry and personal hygiene.
Occupational Health and Safety in the Care and Use of
Nonhuman Primates (
Murphy and Roberts, 2003
).
See the main section “Zoonoses, biohazards, and other
health risks” for detailed information regarding organisms
that may constitute an occupational health risk.
Lice and Mites
The ectoparasites most commonly found on nonhuman
primates are lice and mites. These blood-sucking and biting
arthropods are not host specific and will move from one
warm-blooded animal to another. Both are known to serve
as vectors of human rickettsial diseases such as epidemic
typhus fever and scrub typhus. Although there is no
documentation that such diseases have been transmitted
from infected monkeys to humans, mites from nonhuman
primates were thought to be responsible for dermatitis in
human contacts, including pediculosis from spider
monkeys (
Ronald and Wagner, 1973
) and sarcoptic mange
from macaques (
Smiley and O'Connor, 1980
).
The lung mite, Pneumonyssus simicola,causespulmo-
nary acariasis in monkeys and is very common in macaques
(
Andrade andMarchevsky, 2007
). This parasite is not thought
to be zoonotic but is noteworthy because the small cystic
lesions of this infestation, found throughout the lung paren-
chyma but particularly on the surface, are often numerous and
may be confused with those caused by tuberculosis.
PARTICIPANTS
Persons who should be enrolled in an occupational health
program include all those who handle animals and are
involved in the direct care of the animals or exposed to
tissues or body fluids. Enrollment should occur prior to
exposure of a participant to animals and products, and
participation should be a condition of employment.
Participants in an occupational health program are usually
categorized according to the type of animal contact to
which they are exposed and the necessary health services
components. It is important to include the human resources
and workers compensation programs as a part of the
development of the occupational health program so special
needs arising from exposures or
injuries
involving
nonhuman primates are recognized in advance.
COMPONENTS
History and Physical Examinations
A medical history and pre-employment physical examina-
tion should be completed prior to allowing anyone to work
with nonhuman primates. It is essentially a specific job
fitness-for-duty evaluation. Persons with evidence of
diseases transmissible to animals (e.g. tuberculosis),
immune deficiency, or other medical conditions such as
allergies that may contradict work with nonhuman primates
should be discouraged, or prohibited, from working with
these animals. The physical examination should be complete
and thorough. Other medical services at this time include
chest X-ray, complete blood count and differential, blood
chemistry profile, urinalysis, serum sample for storage, and
tuberculin skin test. Necessary immunizations may also
begin at this time. Periodic physical examinations should be
conducted when warranted, usually annually, and should be
customized as appropriate for the circumstances. Special
physical examinations may be necessary after nonroutine
exposure to a hazardous situation, e.g. bite by a macaque.
These examinations should be limited to procedures
necessary for monitoring the patient for the health hazard
involved.
Prevention
Biosafety Level 2 procedures are recom-
mended for preventing the possible spread of lice and mites
from animals to contact workers.
MODEL OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
PROGRAM FOR PERSONS
WORKING WITH NONHUMAN
PRIMATES
INTRODUCTION
Occupational health programs are mandatory for personnel
who work with nonhuman primates and for others who
have contact with them. This includes contact with living
and dead animals, their viable tissues, blood and body
fluids, waste, or living quarters. Particular attention must be
directed to facilities maintenance personnel and contractors
providing repair services in areas occupied by nonhuman
primates.
This model program is offered as an example for
institutional health programs, which should include all of
these considerations. It was developed from programs
already in effect at several institutions. An excellent
discussion of the components of an effective occupational
health program is contained in the ILAR publication The
Serum Storage
Serum banking is expensive, and each institution should
determine its particular needs in light of economic feasi-
bility. Additionally, many institutions have discontinued
