Animal Exposure Medical Surveillance

Georgetown University’s Occupational Health Medical Surveillance Program for Personnel in Contact with Laboratory Animals helps protect individuals who work with laboratory animals, enter laboratory animal areas, or may be exposed to animal allergens or other laboratory animal-related hazards.

The program provides information, prevention strategies, health review, and medical clearance procedures based on an individual’s role, assigned duties, animal contact, potential exposures, and area-access needs.

Who is Covered

The program covers the following groups:

• Research Personnel: Investigators, faculty, staff, students, visiting scientists, volunteers, and other individuals who work with laboratory animals or enter animal areas as part of research activities, including individuals listed on IACUC-approved protocols.
• Division of Comparative Medicine Personnel: Full-time, part-time, temporary, volunteer, and student personnel assigned to the Division of Comparative Medicine, including animal care, husbandry, and support staff.
• Other Covered Individuals: Individuals who are not directly involved in animal research but may enter or work near laboratory animal areas. This may include Facilities Management personnel, custodial staff, contractors, vendors, security personnel, visiting investigators or collaborators, students, interns, and other individuals whose duties or access may result in potential laboratory animal exposure.

Requirements for Research and DCM Personnel

Research Personnel and DCM Personnel must complete the applicable requirements before beginning covered animal work. Requirements may include:

• Submit an Animal Exposure Medical Surveillance enrollment request, if enrollment has not already been initiated by the applicable department or program.
• After the request is reviewed, complete the electronic Health History Survey assigned through CampusOptics.
• Complete all applicable EH&S, DCM, IACUC, and AALAS training requirements.
• Provide requested health, vaccination, immunity, or screening documentation.
• Complete any additional evaluation, testing, or consultation requested by Occupational Health based on role, species, exposure risk, or medical review.
• Receive Animal Health Medical Clearance before beginning covered work.
• Complete an annual health evaluation for clearance renewal.

Occupational Health reviews the submitted information and determines whether additional requirements are needed. After all applicable requirements are completed, Occupational Health issues an Animal Health Medical Clearance Certification.

The Health History Survey is not publicly available on this website. After an enrollment request is reviewed and approved, the appropriate survey will be assigned directly to the individual through CampusOptics.

Requirements for Other Covered Individuals

Other Covered Individuals do not complete the Health History Survey or participate in the full medical clearance process solely because they may enter an animal area.

Other Covered Individuals identified to Occupational Health will be assigned the Laboratory Animal Area Exposure Risk Acknowledgment. This electronic acknowledgment provides information about potential laboratory animal-related risks, allergy symptoms, prevention practices, personal protective equipment, hygiene, and applicable safety expectations.

Completion of the Laboratory Animal Area Exposure Risk Overview and Acknowledgment satisfies the Animal Health enrollment requirement for Other Covered Individuals. Additional Occupational Health requirements, such as tuberculosis screening, measles immunity verification, or respirator medical clearance, may be required based on assigned duties, potential exposures, or access needs.

Additional Requirements for Nonhuman Primate Areas

Personnel who work in or require planned or ongoing access to nonhuman primate areas may be subject to additional requirements. These may include:

• Nonhuman primate and B virus/Macacine herpesvirus 1 training
• Required personal protective equipment
• Tuberculosis screening
• Documentation of measles immunity or MMR vaccination
• Respirator medical clearance, training, and fit testing when respirator use is required
• Other health or training requirements based on assigned duties and potential exposure

Principal Investigators, supervisors, host departments, and DCM Management should notify Occupational Health when an individual requires planned or ongoing access to nonhuman primate areas. Occupational Health will coordinate with EH&S, DCM, and other applicable departments to determine the requirements.

The below link is currently inactive, and will be updated shortly.

Animal Allergies and Health Concerns

Zoonotic diseases are infections that can be transmitted between animals and people. The potential risks vary based on the animal species, source of the animal, assigned duties, route and duration of exposure, and the individual’s health status. Animals may carry zoonotic organisms without showing signs of illness.

Personnel should review the information applicable to the species with which they work, complete all required training, follow established personal protective equipment and hygiene requirements, and promptly report animal-related injuries, exposures, or symptoms of concern.

Individuals who have a medical condition or take medication that may increase their susceptibility to infection may contact Occupational Health confidentially to discuss potential occupational health concerns.

Species-Specific Zoonosis Information

• Runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, or sinus symptoms
• Itchy, watery, or irritated eyes
• Skin irritation, rash, hives, or contact dermatitis
• Coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath
• New or worsening asthma or other respiratory symptoms

Individuals who develop symptoms that may be related to animal exposure should notify their supervisor or Principal Investigator and contact Occupational Health for guidance.

Zoonotic Disease Information

Animal allergens may be present in saliva, urine, dander, serum, hair, bedding, equipment, clothing, or work surfaces. Possible symptoms include:

• Zoonoses Associated with Fish and Amphibians
• Zoonoses Associated with Laboratory-Reared Rodents
• Zoonoses Associated with New World Nonhuman Primates
• Zoonoses Associated with Old World Nonhuman Primates
• Zoonoses Associated with Rabbits
• Zoonoses Associated with Swine
• Zoonoses Associated with Wild Birds
• Zoonoses Associated with Zebrafish

These resources provide general awareness information and do not replace required training, approved protocols, DCM procedures, personal protective equipment requirements, or medical evaluation when indicated.

Zoonotic Disease Information

Laboratory animals may carry infectious agents that can be transmitted between animals and people. The potential risks vary by animal species, source, assigned duties, and type of exposure.

Georgetown University Biological Safety provides species-specific fact sheets describing potential zoonotic hazards and recommended prevention practices.

On the Biological Safety page, refer to the Factsheets section for species-specific zoonosis information and the Prevention of Allergies and Asthma in Animal Handlers Guideline.

Preventing Exposure

Personnel entering or working in laboratory animal areas must:

• Follow posted access, personal protective equipment, hygiene, and safety requirements.
• Wear required protective equipment as directed by posted signage, DCM, EH&S, Occupational Health, or an approved protocol.
• Wash hands after handling animals, tissues, bedding, waste, or contaminated materials.
• Avoid touching the face while working in animal areas.
• Never eat, drink, smoke, apply cosmetics, handle contact lenses, or take or apply medication in animal areas.
• Follow applicable procedures for sharps, biohazardous waste, and regulated medical waste.
• Comply with the Respiratory Protection Program when respirator use is required.

Animal-related Injuries and Exposures

For bites, scratches, punctures, eye or mucous membrane exposures, or other animal-related incidents, immediately perform appropriate first aid and follow the Workplace Injury or Exposure instructions.

Nonhuman primate bites, scratches, needlesticks, mucous membrane exposures, or other potential NHP exposures require immediate action under DCM’s established NHP Bite/Scratch Protocol. Follow the instructions in the NHP Bite and Scratch Kit, notify the supervisor, DCM Veterinarian, and Occupational Health immediately, and seek immediate medical evaluation through the Emergency Department or other designated medical provider.

The NHP Bite and Scratch Kit and protocol are available through DCM at G05/RRF. Contact DCM Front Desk at 202-687-2488.

Program Documents

• Occupational Health Medical Surveillance Program for Personnel in Contact with Laboratory Animals
• Program Overview and Quick Reference
• Laboratory Animal Area Exposure Risk Acknowledgment