Health and safety in laboratory animal facilities (Laboratory animal handbooks No 13)

Biological safety in the animal laboratory.

Laboratory Animal Science

| A spontaneous neurological mutation was detected in a colony of Sprague Dawley rats. The animals developed a progressive neurological syndrome characterized by tremor (which appeared at the age of 1 month), ataxia (at 4 months), immobility episodes (after 5-6 months), audiogenic seizures and hindlimb paralysis (after 10 months). Cross breeding experiments indicate that this is an autosomal re...

Laboratory animal allergens.

Allergic sensitivity to laboratory animals can pose a significant occupational hazard to anyone with regular animal contact. Reactions to mice and rats are most common although all furred animals produce allergens that can lead to sensitization and disease. Most of the relevant allergens of laboratory animals have been defined and characterized, which has revealed that these allergens are typic...

Health, safety and environmental risk management in laboratory fields

Background: Research project risks are uncertain contingent events or situations that, if transpire, will have positive or negative effects on objectives of a project. The Management of Health and Safety at Work (MHSW) Regulations 1999 require all employers and the self-employed persons to assess the risks from their work on anyone who may be affected by their activities. Risk assessment is the...

Allergy to laboratory animals in laboratory technicians and animal keepers.

The prevalence of allergy to laboratory animals (LAA) was investigated in laboratory technicians and animal keepers. In a questionnaire 41 of 101 technicians reported symptoms provoked by work with laboratory animals. On clinical investigation 30 were found to have symptoms and signs related to contact with animals, and allergy was confirmed by radioallergosorbent tests (RAST) and skin tests in...