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AniCon Program Overview

A Board Certifies Occupational Health Nurse Specialist (COHN-S) administers the Animal Contact Occupational Health Program (AniCon) in consultation with a Board Certified Occupational Medicine Physician to provide health and safety advice to researchers and animal care personnel. Medical assessments and treatment protocols are developed for researchers and animal husbandry personnel. Henry Ford - Harbortown Clinicians provide medical services, maintain confidential records, and bill WSU-HR.

AniCon Program provides medical referral services, information on animal research hazards via documents, posters, and presentations. In collaboration with physicians and other professionals, Occupational Health Specialists develop health surveillance programs, clinical treatment protocols, field emergency first aid, and exposure response procedures.

AniCon follows guidelines set forth in the National Research Council's publication Occupational Health and Safety in the Care and Use of Research Animals. AniCon Program is located in Office of Environmental Health & Safety (OEHS).

Office of Environmental Health & Safety (OEHS)

Office of Environmental Health and Safety, division of research, is committed to providing quality environmental health and safety services to Wayne State University's students, faculty, and staff. OEHS supports WSU's mission of excellence in research, teaching, and community service by promoting a safe workplace. OEHS collaborates with other departments and committees to develop and implement health and safety procedures that ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations. OEHS is dedicated to preventing employee injuries and illnesses, anticipating hazards, and timely responding to workplace emergencies.

AniCon Participants:

Division of Laboratory Animal Resources (DLAR)

DLAR procures research animals and strives to maintain adequate ventilation and cleanliness in animal facilities. DLAR provides animal handlers training on proper animal care and manipulation. Animal care staff use engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment to enhance safety.

Animal Care Personnel

Personnel trained to care for research animals and educated about research hazardous including animal allergens. Animal care staff are expected to comply with biosafety practices, adhere to safety precautions outlines in "Animal Hazardous Agent Forms" (AHAF), and report unsafe working situations to the Team Leaders or Managers.

Principal Investigators (PI)

PIs develop and implement research protocols, they ensure compliance with IACUC, IBC, and OEHS safe practices and administrative procedures. PIs ensure their researchers are aware of research hazards, receive safety training, and use engineering controls and protective equipment.

Researchers

Researcher are trained in biosafety practices, laboratory safety, and provided protective equipment. Animal researchers are encouraged to correct or report unsafe research procedures to PIs or anonymously to IACUC.

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committe (IACUC) 

The IACUC reviews and approves animal research protocols. IACUC inspects animal housing facilities and laboratories where animals are used to ensure proper animal handling and research practices. IACUC, in conjunctions with DLAR and OEHS, inspects labs and animal facilities biannually.

Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)

The IBC reviews research protocols involving recombinant DNA, animals, infectious agents, and select toxins. IBC provides guidance to researchers on biosafety practices, provides training, and inspects laboratories to ensure compliance with federal regulations and safety practices.

Frequent Clinical Concerns

1. Animal allergens
2. Biological and chemical exposures
3. Diseases transmitted among humans
4. Musculoskeletal disorders
5. Wounds: punctures, cuts, bites, scratches, burns
6. Zoonotic diseases transmitted among animals and humans

Animal Allergies

Allergic reactions to animals are one of the most common conditions that affect personnel involved in care and use of research animals. Animal allergies develop as a result of repeated exposure to animal proteins found in animal urine, saliva, and dander. Exposures occur by way of inhalation, skin, or mucous membrane contact. Generally symptoms are: runny nose; watery, itchy eyes; nasa congestion; skin rash; cough or wheezing; and shortness of breath.

All species of laboratory animals can trigger an allergic reaction. However in laboratory research settings, allergies to mice, rats, and rabbits are most common. Risk factors for becoming allergic to laboratory animals include intensity of exposure and medical history. Because animal allergies can develop into chronic disease such as asthma, and can also result in a life threatening condition such as status asthmaticus or anaphylactic shock, it is very important to decrease exposure.

Animal research personnel are educated on how to avoid exposure to animal allergens via AniCon online training, presentations, and animal allergen awareness documents. They are advised to follow safe practice procedures, participate in animal allergy medical surveillance, and follow-up with medical evaluations and treatments.

Zoonotic Diseases

Zoonotic diseases are transmitted among animals and humans. More information is available from the CDC.

Muscular Skeletal Disorders (MSD)

Animal care duties include: cleaning and processing cages, medicating and manipulating animals, and watering and feeding animals. Some work tasks require repetitive movements, lifting animals, and heavy objects. Animal care duties can cause muscular skeletal disorders (MSD). MSD are injuries that affect muscles, ligaments, or spinal disc, e.g., wrist injuries and back pain. Animal care staff are provided ergonomic training on preventing accidents and avoiding injuries. Personnel are encouraged to request help from co-workers when handling animals or objects more than 25 lbs.

Biological, Chemical, and Radiation Safety

OEHS provides mandatory training on biosafety practices, laboratory safety, bloodborne infectious diseases, and radiation safety. PIs' standard operating procedures (SOP) and animal hazardous agent forms (AHAF) advise animal handlers about avoiding contact with research agents. Visit the OEHS website for information on biosafety practices, chemical safety, hazardous materials, waste disposal, and radiation safety.

Reproductive Concerns

Employees who become pregnant or are planning pregnancy can request work re-assignment if duties adversely affect pregnancy. Employee and physician can indicate if work duties are risky. Manager or PI can re-assign work duties.
Risks include:

1. Contact with cat feces or contaminated waste
2. Exposure to biologicals, chemicals, or radiation
3. Heavy lifting or prolonged standing
4. Exposure to high temperatures

Pre-Existing Health Conditions

Employees who are immunosuppressed or with medical conditions are encouraged to discuss concerns with their physician and inform an Occupational Health Specialist. Managers or PIs can re-assign duties.
Risks include:

1. Handling biologicals, e.g., adenoviruses, lentiviruses, etc.
2. Performing duties that exacerbate respiratory illnesses
3. Exposure to chemicals or radiation

Health Surveillance & Medical Service

• Health risk assessment
• Physical examination
• Periodic animal allergy screen
• Animal allergy medical assessment
• Medical clearance: respirator use & N95 fit test
• Therapies, e.g., antibiotic and antivirals
• Treatments, e.g., work injuries and illnesses
• Tuberculosis screen
• Immune globulins

Laboratory Test

• Blood: CBC with differential
• Urine analysis
• Liver function test (LFT)
• IgE antibody testing (RAST or ELISA)
• Toxoplasmosis titer
• Titers: Hepatitis B, Measles, Mumps, Rubella

Vaccines

• Hepatitis A & B
• Influenza
• Measels, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
• Meningitis (MCV4: Menactra &MenB: Bexsero, N. meningitidis prophylaxis)
• Pneumococcal
• Rabies
• Tdap: Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis
• Varicella
• Diphtheria antitoxin (DAT via CDC, post diphtheria toxin exposure
• Vaccinia (via CDC, vaccinia prophylaxis)

Work Practice Guidelines

1. Limit access to animal facilities
2. Adhere to biosafety practices and "Animal Hazardous Agent Forms"
3. Post safety signage: biohazard, PPE, etc.
4. Read safety data sheets (SDS)
5. Participate in occupational health programs and safety trainings
6. Decontaminate with proper disinfectant
7. Properly dispose sharps, biohazards, toxic chemical, etc.
8. Use gloves, protective clothing, N95, eye protection, and wash hands frequently
9. Maintain cleanliness, organized rooms, proper temperature, and air flow

Medical Care, Emergencies, and WSU Medical Services

Call WSU Police at 313-577-2222. Do not call 911.

Injuries/Exposures Requiring Medical Attention:

Emergencies:

• Call WSU Police, report to Henry Ford Hospital-ER at 2799 W. Grand Blvd. or Detroit Receiving Hospital-ER at 4201 St. Antoine

Non-emergencies during business hours M-F 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.:

• Henry Ford Harbortown Occupational Health, SUITE 100, 3300 E. Jefferson, 313-656-1618 (walk-in clinic)
• Non-emergencies after hours: Henry Ford Hospital-ER or Detroit Receiving-ER
• After seeking medical attention, complete and submit a Report of Injury form to: Enterprise Risk Management & Insurance Programs, 313-577-3112, risk.wayne.edu

Fires

• Pull the closest fire alarm pull station and exit the building
• Call the Wayne State Police at 313-577-2222

Hazardous Material Spills

• Emergency spills and after-hours incidents: WSU Police 313-577-2222
• Non-emergency spills M-F 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call WSU Office of Environmental Health & Safety at 313-577-1200

WSU Campus Health Center

COVID-19 symptoms, test, and treatment, contact Campus Health Center, 5285 Anthony Wayne Drive, Det., MI 48202, 313-577-5041 

 

REFERENCES

Advisory Committee Immunization Practices (ACIP) Adult Immunization Schedule, United States - 2017, https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/index.html

"Assessment and Treatment of Laboratory Animal Allergy", Robert K. Bush, ILAR Journal, Volume 42, Issue 1, January 2001, https://doi.org/10.1093/ilar.42.1.55

Adenovirus Vaccine Information, June 11, 2014, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-statements/adenovirus.pdf

Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories, U.S. DHHS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Institutes of Health, US Government Printing Office, 6th Edition. https://www.cdc.gov/labs/bmbl/index.html

Guide for the Care & Use of Laboratory Animals, 8th Ed. National Academy of Sciences, 2011, https://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/Guide-for-the-Care-and-use-of-laboratory-animals.pdf

HIV Surveillance, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention CDC, December, 2012 https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/31805

Laboratory Acquired Vaccinia Exposures and Infections - United States, 2005-2007, CDC, MMWR2008; 57:401-4. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mening/index.html

Occupational Health and Safety in the Care and Use of Research Animals, National Research Council, National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1997

"Preventing Asthma in Animal Handlers", NIOSH ALERT, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-116, January 1998. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/97-116/default.html

Reduced (4-Dose) Vaccine Schedule Post-exposure Prophylaxis to Prevent Human Rabies: Advisory Committee Immunization Practices (ACIP), 59(RR02); 1-9, March 2010, https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5902a1.htm

Reproductive Health and the Workplace, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), April 2017 https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/reproductive-health/about/workers.html?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/repro/workers.html

Risks Associated With Lentiviral Vector Exposures and Prevention, R. Schlimgen, Ph.D., J. Howard M.D., et al., American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2016

Meningococcal Vaccination, March 24, 2017, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases , https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mening/index.html

Use of Diphtheria Antitoxin (DAT) for Suspected Diphtheria Cases BB-IND 11184 Diphtheria Antitoxin (DAT) Protocol CDC IRB #4167 Version 7.0 Page 2 September 21, 2016