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Volume 20, Number 9—September 2014
Letter

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

Emily W. Lankau1Comments to Author , Patricia V. Turner, Robert J. Mullan, and G. Gale Galland
Author affiliations: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA (E.W. Lankau, R.J. Mullan, G.G. Galland); University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada (P.V. Turner)

Main Article

Table

Health and safety practices reported by 26 research facilities that use nonhuman primates, North America, December 2012*

Characteristic No. (%) facilities
Average no. staff working daily with or near nonhuman primates
1–5 8 (31)
6–10 3 (12)
11–15 1 (4)
16–20 3 (12)
21–30 1 (4)
>30
10 (38)
Required personal protection equipment*
Respiratory protection used
Surgical mask 21 (81)
N95 respirator 8 (31)
Powered air-purifying respirator 4 (15)
Eye protection
Goggles/safety glasses 19 (73)
Full face shield 24 (92)
Protective clothing
Laboratory coat/scrubs 17 (65)
Reusable coveralls 7(27)
Disposable coveralls 15 (58)
Head covering/cap/bonnet† 8 (31)
Extra gown layer/arm covers† 5 (19)
Gloves
Latex or nitrile gloves 26 (100)
Double gloves† 4 (15)
Leather gloves† 2 (8)
Footwear
Shoe covers 24 (92)
Reusable boots 10 (38)
Shoes designated for use in facility only†
6 (23)
Handling of animals
Manually capture conscious animals (“hand-catch”)‡ 4 (15)
Handle conscious animals with special equipment (e.g., pole and collar, chair) 21 (81)
Conduct tuberculin skin tests on conscious animals 2 (8)
Routinely conduct necropsy on nonhuman primates that die or are euthanized§ 26 (100)

*Because respondents could select >1 option, percentages will not total 100% within each personal protection equipment category.
†This answer choice was not one provided in the answer options but was provided in the associated free-text field for “other.” The number provided reflects the number of respondents who volunteered this answer under “other.”
‡One respondent skipped this question. Percentages calculated with 25 facilities as the denominator.
§Five respondents provided a written caveat that all animals that die spontaneously or are euthanized specifically because of health concerns routinely undergo necropsy but noted that animals euthanized at study completion often undergo study-specific tissue collection that might not include a complete necropsy.

Main Article

1Current affiliation: LandCow Consulting, Athens, Georgia, USA.

Page created: August 18, 2014
Page updated: August 18, 2014
Page reviewed: August 18, 2014
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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