Rodent Quality Assurance Monitoring Program
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Rodent Quality Assurance Monitoring Program |
Prevention of Transmission
BackgroundShould an unwanted pathogen be found in a Yale animal room (outbreak) it is essential to contain the infection in the earliest stage possible. Since many of the rodent pathogens do not cause overt disease in most animals the infection may not be identified until is is detected by the routine health monitoring. At the worst this could be months after the first introduction. At that time containment measures would come too late. Animal facilities are therefore set up and managed to minimize spread of infection proactively at all times. The following measures are part of this effort:
Room OrderFacility room orders are established based on housing type, health status and overall risk of contamination. They assure that any pathogens present in a room can only be transmitted in on direction protecting the more susceptible animals at the top of the room order. The room order must be strictly adhered to within a facility. After entering a room only rooms lower in the room order may be entered on the same day. If a room in another facility needs to be entered on the same day you need to plan accordingly to ensure proper order is followed. The current room order is posted at the entrance of each facility. It may change on short notice in response to a new development so check it frequently. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)To prevent spread of infection between rooms, even in the direction of the room order, the wearing of PPE is required in many rodent rooms. The instructions are posted on the outside of the animal room door. The items should be donned in the order posted (the order may differ depending on the facility layout). All or some of the following components may be required.
PPE must only be worn inside the animal room and must be removed when leaving the room.
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