Module 05 - Research Issues

Avoiding Infectious Disease in Laboratory Animals

VAF (Virus Antibody Free - free of specific viruses) status of rodents was developed to avoid research complications caused by infections. Actions that managers of laboratory animal facilities and researchers themselves can take to limit risk of infections ruining research include: ensuring the health quality of animals before purchase; conducting health monitoring according to facility rules; observing all facility SOPs established to limit disease introduction. Investigators must share the responsibility of ensuring the disease free status of their animal models.

Knowing the health status of the animals and documenting it, are a very important part of the records that must be kept by the principal investigator, as part of defining the animal model in the publications arising from the research.