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Someone working
in a facility with rodents could potentially be exposed to any
zoonotic disease agent affecting wild rodents. In practice, however,
these conditions are very rare. Modern laboratory animal facilities
pay particular attention to vermin control, thereby reducing the
likelihood of infection of laboratory mice by their wild counterparts.
However, there is always the potential for breaks to occur.
The major
health risk to individuals working with rodents is the development
of an allergy. Conditioned, colony-born rodents are generally
docile, but may occasionally inflict injury such as a bite or
scratch. Staff assigned to rodent areas should be trained in handling
techniques and protective clothing requirements prior to beginning
hands-on work.
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RECOMMENDED PREVENTIVE MEASURES
- Training on proper rodent handling techniques is available through LARC;
- Follow any posted Personal Protective Clothing requirements;
- Wash hands after handling animals or related equipment;
- When seeking medical advice for any illness, inform your physician that you work with rodents.
Conventional Rodent Areas: To reduce the risk of exposure to allergens
when rodents are transported to or used in laboratories, staff
are advised to adhere to the following practices:
- Dust masks
should be worn at all times when working with rodents; whenever
there is a risk of aerosol transmission of a zoonotic agent,
approved respirator masks (e.g., Type N95 by 3M company) should
be worn instead of dust masks;
- Perform
procedures in a laminar flow hood whenever possible;
- Minimize
wearing protective clothing such as lab coats outside of animal
areas;
- Use disposable
supplies whenever possible;
- Sanitize
lab work areas after animal work.
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RESPONSE TO INJURY
For all incurred
injuries incurred when working with rodents:
- Wash any
injured site with soap and water for at least 5 minutes;
wound with clean bandage (do not apply ointment or spray);
- Control
bleeding by applying direct pressure with a sterile gauze or
bandage;
- Cover
wound with clean bandage (do not apply ointment or spray);
- Seek
advice from emergency room physician.
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INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis: LCM is an arenavirus commonly associated
with hamsters, but does infect mice. In 1965, during an outbreak
in hamsters, 23 human cases were recorded. Now rare in laboratory
animal facilities, LCM has been eliminated from most vendors through
breeding and viral screening of their colonies.
- Reservoir/source
of infection to people: Wild mice worldwide are the reservoir
of infection to laboratory and pet rodents. Mice and hamsters
are the only animals known to develop latent infection; experimentally
transplanted tumors are the other source of infection to mice;
- Transmission:
Contact with tissues including tumor, feces, urine, and aerosolization
of all of the above;
- Disease in people: Flu-like symptoms, mild to severe.
Leptospirosis:
Leptospira spp. are bacteria found in many animals but
are most commonly associated with livestock and dogs. Transmission
from laboratory rodents to people has been reported.
- Reservoir/source
of infection to people: Rats, mice, voles, hedgehogs, gerbils,
squirrels, rabbits, hamsters, reptiles, dogs, sheep, goats,
horses, standing water.
- Transmission:
Leptospires are shed in the urine of infected animals. Direct
contact with urine or tissues via skin abrasions or contact
with mucous membranes has been reported. Transmission can also
occur through inhalation of infectious droplet aerosols and
by ingestion;
- Disease
in people: Flu-like symptoms, mild to severe. Death has been
reported.
Rat
bite fever: This is caused by the bite of a rat infected
with Streptobacillus moniliformis or Spirillum minus.
- Reservoir/source
of infection: Rats are asymptomatic carriers. Bacteria are normal
flora in oral pharynx of rats;
- Transmission:
Bite of infected rat;
- Disease
in people: Fever, lymphadenopathy, swelling at site of wound.
Incubation period usually 1-3 days but may be up to 6 weeks.
May cause arthritis in untreated patients but is easily treated
with penicillin.
Hantavirus
Infection: Hantaviruses occur among wild rodent populations.
- Reservoir/source
of infection: Rats and mice have been implicated in outbreaks
of the disease. Hantavirus infection from rats has occurred
in laboratory animal facility workers. Rodents shed the virus
in their respiratory secretions, saliva, urine and feces;
- Transmission:
Via inhalation of infectious aerosols - brief exposures of even
5 minutes have resulted in human infection;
- Disease
in people: The form of the disease that has been documented
after laboratory-animal exposure is characterized by fever,
headache, myalgia and petechiae and other hemmorhagic symptoms,
including anemia, gastrointestinal bleeding etc.
There are
several bacterial pathogens, including Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter
spp., that are frequently associated with diarrhea in rodents
and may also cause disease in people.
- Reservoir/source: Symptomatic or asymptomatic rodents;
- Transmission: Fecal/oral;
- Disease in people: Diarrhea, dysentery.
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ALLERGIES
All Rodent Areas:
Conventional and barrier rodent environments have allergens present,
such as dust from bedding and animal dander.
Specific allergy-producing exposures are associated with urine
and saliva.
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