HOW TO ENROLL IN AP-OHSP

To enroll in the AP-OHSP, personnel must complete an Animal Contact Form. Animal Contact Forms are Medical Questionnaires located in BioRAFT that are pre-reviewed by occupational health staff under the oversight of a physician.

Forms may be referred for additional review by a physician based on responses to medical questions and the nature of potential occupational exposures associated with the individual’s work activities. Forms requiring further assessment by the physician are subject to a fee that must be paid before physician review. Employees are not personally responsible for this cost, as completion of the Animal Contact Form is an occupational requirement.

• Forms should be completed:
• Prior to beginning any work involving animals
• Every 1-3 years (depending on risk level)
• Any time there are changes in animal contact (e.g., species) or personal health status

For assistance with the Animal Contact Form or other questions regarding occupational health, please contact occmed@auburn.edu.

WHO SHOULD ENROLL?

Enrollment in the AP-OHSP is required for Auburn University employees whose work involves potential exposure to research or teaching animals.

This includes individuals who:

• Handle, care for, or perform procedures on live animals
• Work with animal blood, tissues, body fluids, or waste
• Enter or work in locations where animals are housed or used, such as animal facilities or research laboratories\
• Are listed on an IACUC protocol

EXEMPTIONS

Employees or students with incidental contact may be exempt from enrolling in the AP-OHSP, but they must still be made aware of the hazards and consult with RMS if they are pregnant, immunocompromised, or allergic to animals.

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS

The medical requirements for personnel enrolled in the AP-OHSP are based on the species they work with and the nature of their job duties.

Depending on your occupational risk, you may be asked to:

• Maintain a current tetanus vaccination (received within the past 10 years)
• Complete a rabies pre-exposure vaccination series or provide documentation of an acceptable rabies antibody titer
• Participate in the University’s serum banking program, when applicable
• Other medical requirements as deemed necessary through a risk assessment

OVERVIEW

Animal allergies are one of the most common occupational health concerns for individuals who work with research, teaching, or field animals. Symptoms may develop after weeks, months, or even years of exposure, although many cases occur within the first year of animal work.

COMMON SYMPTOMS

Animal allergies can range from mild to severe and may include:

• Runny or congested nose, sneezing, or itchy nose (allergic rhinitis)
• Red, itchy, or watery eyes (allergic conjunctivitis)
• Skin rash or hives after animal contact (contact dermatitis)\
• Coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath (occupational asthma)
• Rarely, severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), including throat swelling, difficulty breathing, dizziness, or loss of consciousness, which require immediate emergency medical attention.

If symptoms consistently occur during or after working with a particular animal species, they may be related to an occupational allergy.

WHAT CAUSES ANIMAL ALLERGIES

Animal allergens are proteins found in saliva, urine, skin, dander, and other body secretions. These proteins become airborne on hair, bedding, dust, and other particles, making inhalation the primary route of exposure.

Allergies are often species-specific. For example, someone may be allergic to mice but not rats, although allergies to multiple species can occur. Common research animals associated with allergies include rodents, rabbits, guinea pigs, dogs, cats, birds, amphibians, livestock, and other vertebrate species

WHO IS AT RISK?

Studies estimate that 10–30% of people who work with laboratory animals develop animal-related allergies, and animal workers are at a substantially higher risk of developing occupational asthma than the general workforce.
Individuals with a personal or family history of allergies, hay fever, eczema, or asthma may have an increased risk of developing more severe allergic disease.

REDUCING YOUR RISK

Exposure reduction is the most effective way to prevent and manage animal allergies.

Recommended practices include:

• Perform procedures in a biosafety cabinet, ventilated workstation, or other engineering control whenever feasible.
• Ensure animal facilities have appropriate ventilation and maintain engineering controls.
• Wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), including gloves, lab coats or dedicated protective clothing, and eye protection as needed.
• Wash hands after handling animals and avoid touching your face while working.
• Keep animal housing and work areas clean and minimize dusty bedding and waste.
• Change or launder dedicated work clothing according to institutional procedures.
• If recommended through the Occupational Health Program, wear a properly fitted, NIOSH-approved respirator (such as an N95) when appropriate. Respirators should supplement—not replace—engineering controls and safe work practices.

MEDICAL EVALUATION

If you develop symptoms that may be related to animal exposure, report them promptly through the Occupational Health Program so that actions can be taken to mitigate your symptoms and continued exposure. Early recognition and intervention can help prevent progression to more severe allergic disease or occupational asthma.

RABIES

Rabies is a zoonotic disease that is almost always fatal. Transmission occurs through infected saliva or neural tissue, most often through bites and/or direct contact with mucous membranes. In the United States, the most common reservoirs for rabies virus are raccoons, bats, skunks, and foxes.

Prevention involves receiving PrEP prior to working with potentially infected animals, avoiding high-density populations known to carry the virus, wearing appropriate PPE when handling wild mammals, and post-exposure prophylaxis for any suspected exposures.

It is the responsibility of the supervisor, principal investigator, or instructor to monitor the risk of exposure for personnel and provide access to appropriate immunizations.

PrEP VACCINATION RECOMMENDATIONS

Q FEVER

Q fever is a zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetii, a species of bacteria that is distributed globally. Cattle, sheep, and goats are the primary reservoirs of C. burnetii. The bacteria is excreted in milk, urine, feces, and birth products (i.e., placenta and amniotic fluid) of infected animals. While there is current no vaccine available for Q fever, prevention measures can greatly reduce the risk of exposure.

These measures include:

• Proper handling and disposal of birth products from cattle, sheep, and goats
• Biosecurity controls for areas with potentially infected animals, such as restricted access and strict decontamination and disinfection protocols
• Routinely testing animals for antibodies to C. burnetti

Employees with a history of valvular disease or congenital heart defects or those taking immunosuppressant drugs should avoid working with or around animals during parturition.

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. In occupational settings, infection most commonly occurs through accidental ingestion of infectious material from cat feces, particularly when handling litter boxes or contaminated surfaces without proper hand hygiene. Most healthy individuals experience no symptoms or only mild flu-like illness, but infection can cause serious complications in pregnant individuals and those with weakened immune systems. Prevention includes wearing gloves when handling cat waste, washing hands thoroughly after contact, cleaning litter boxes daily, and following good sanitation practices. The risk of transmission from purpose-bred cats housed indoors on commercial diets is considered very low.