Worker Health and Safety Practices in Research Facilities Using Nonhuman Primates, North America

To the Editor: Since 1975, federal quarantine regulations (1) have restricted nonhuman primate importation to scientific, educational, or exhibition purposes to limit risks for disease introduction (1,2). Infectious diseases resulting from importation of nonhuman primates need to be prevented to ensure that colonies of these animals are available for research and to protect persons working with them from exposure to established and emerging zoonotic diseases (2,3). Most imported nonhuman primates are bred for research and undergo standard screening and conditioning before shipment, which substantially reduce importation-associated health risks (4). However, many zoonotic agents can be difficult to exclude from even meticulously controlled breeding facilities (3,5). Nonhuman primates are commonly imported from regions with a high prevalence of potentially zoo-notic diseases, such as tuberculosis and meliodosis, in humans and animals. Diagnosing tuberculosis in nonhuman primates can be difficult; inadvertent colony and human exposures can occur through undiagnosed cases (6). Similarly, Burkholderia pseudomal-lei, the causative agent of meliodosis, can be carried asymptomatically for extended periods before illness onset, posing a persistent exposure risk for persons working with imported nonhu-man primates from regions to which meliodosis is endemic (7). Finally, non-human primates are host to potentially zoonotic viruses, such as simian foamy virus, which has unknown pathogenic potential in infected persons (8), and Macacine herpesvirus 1, which causes severe, often fatal, neurologic disease in humans exposed to macaques with asymptomatic infection (9). Quarantine and testing of imported nonhuman primates, rigorous hygiene at research facilities, and strict personal protection equipment (PPE) standards are important to protect the health of nonhuman primate colonies and persons working with the animals (4). Importers must register with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and implement disease control measures, including a 31-day quarantine for newly arrived animals (1). Specific PPE is mandated for quarantine facility staff, but individual facilities determine PPE standards after the animals are released from CDC-mandated quarantine (4). To better understand occupational health and safety practices at facilities housing nonhuman primates, in December 2012, the Association of Primate Veterinarians, with technical support from CDC, surveyed primate veterinarians in North America about animal handling practices and PPE standards at their institutions. The Association of Primate Veterinarians received completed surveys and removed identifying information before providing data to CDC for analysis. that the survey did not qualify as human subjects research. Information collected applied to the institution, not the individual respondent. Respondents were informed that participation …