title: Risk-based immunization policies and tuberculosis screening practices for animal care and research workers in the United States: survey results and recommendations.
abstract: A national survey was conducted to assess immunization practices and tuberculosis screening methods for animal care and research workers in biomedical settings throughout the United States. Veterinarians (n = 953) were surveyed via a web-based mechanism; completed surveys (n  = 308) were analyzed. Results showed that occupational health and safety programs were well-developed, enrolling veterinary, husbandry, and research staff at rates exceeding 90% and involving multiple modalities of health assessments and risk communication for vaccine-preventable diseases.  Most (72.7%) institutions did not store serum samples from animal research personnel. More than half of the institutions housed nonhuman primates and maintained tuberculosis screening programs, although screening methods varied. Immunization protocols included various recommended or required  vaccines that differed depending on job duties, type of institution, and nature of scientific programs. A single case of an identified vaccine-preventable illness in a laboratory worker was noted. Tetanus toxoid was the predominant vaccine administered (91.7%) to animal care and research  workers, followed by hepatitis B (54.8%), influenza (39.9%), and rabies (38.3%). For some immunization protocols, an inconsistent rationale for administration was evident. Indications that animal care and research workers are unprotected from work-related etiologic agents did not emerge from  this survey; rather, existing guidelines from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and available biologics seem sufficient to address most needs of the laboratory animal research community. Institutions should commit to performance-based standards in parallel with context-specific  risk assessment methods to maintain occupational health and safety programs and practices appropriate to their needs.
authors: Washington National Primate Research Center, Department of Comparative Medicine, and Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors: Benjamin J
authors: BJ
authors: Weigler
authors: Donna R
authors: DR
authors: Cooper
authors: F Claire
authors: FC
authors: Hankenson
mesh_terms: D017750:Animal Technicians; D000818:Animals; D000830:Animals, Laboratory; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000592:standards*; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000592:standards*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012108:Research Personnel; D012306:Risk; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014481:United States; D014612:Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018634:Veterinarians; D015047:Zoonoses
chemical_list: D014612:Vaccines