title: A computerized data-capture system for animal biosafety level 4 laboratories.
abstract: The restrictive nature of an Animal Biosafety Level 4 (ABSL4) laboratory complicates even simple clinical evaluation including data capture. Typically, clinical data are recorded on paper during procedures, faxed out of the ABSL4, and subsequently manually entered into a computer. This  system has many disadvantages including transcriptional errors. Here, we describe the development of a highly customizable, tablet-PC-based computerized data-capture system, allowing reliable collection of observational and clinical data from experimental animals in a restrictive biocontainment  setting. A multidisciplinary team with skills in containment laboratory animal science, database design, and software engineering collaborated on the development of this system. The goals were to design an easy-to-use and flexible user interface on a touch-screen tablet PC with user-supportable  processes for recovery, full auditing capabilities, and cost effectiveness. The system simplifies data capture, reduces the necessary time in an ABSL4 environment, offers timely reporting and review of data, facilitates statistical analysis, reduces potential of erroneous data entry, improves  quality assurance of animal care, and advances the use and refinement of humane endpoints.
authors.affiliation: Special Pathogens Program, Public Health Agency of Canada, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada. dabente@utmb.edu
authors.forename: Dennis A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bente
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Friesen
authors.forename: Kyle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Jordan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koll
authors.forename: Gary P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Kobinger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000830:Animals, Laboratory; D002984:Clinical Laboratory Information Systems; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D003264:Containment of Biohazards / Q000379:methods*; D013677:Medical Laboratory Science / Q000379:methods*; D012984:Software