University of Colorado Denver (UC Denver)
Introduction
The University of Colorado Denver (UC Denver) Animal Care and Use Program Occupational Health Program (OHP) is a personnel protection program directed at risk assessment, risk management, risk education, and preventive medicine (health maintenance). This program is designed for personnel who have direct contact with animals, their viable tissues, body fluids, wastes or living quarters. Risk Assessment defines substantial animal exposure and establishes category guidelines. Risk Management entails compliance monitoring. Risk Education is provided through training classes provided by the Office of Laboratory Animal Resources and the Environmental Health and Safety and Radiation Safety Divisions. A Preventive Medicine program is managed by a contract health care provider.
Policy Statement
This policy is intended to establish the requirements for enrollment in Category II (cat/dog) of the Occupational Health Program of the Animal Care and Use Program.
A. Procedures
Individuals working with dogs or cats (or their unfixed tissue) i.e. Category II must meet the following requirements:
· Current tetanus inoculation, or, if a history of contraindication to the vaccination exists, a waiver from a healthcare professional
· Allergy risk assessment, and if necessary advice on additional precautions deemed appropriate to take
· Rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis or acceptable titer level for work with random source animals (waived for work with purpose bred Class A animals)
· Titer level is checked for immunity to toxoplasmosis for females of child bearing age. Information on risks provided to prevent zoonotic exposure
· Respiratory Protection for work with animals, infectious or chemical agents, requires the participation in a Respiratory Protection Program - individuals should be referred to Health and Safety Division, Industrial Hygiene Section
B. Implementation of Procedures for Category II (cat/dog) Enrollment in Occupational Health Program
Initial Enrollment:
· Participants complete an occupational health questionnaire
· Category I screens conducted
· Based on current Immunization Practices Advisory Committee (ACIP) recommendations, rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis with human diploid cell rabies vaccine (HDCV) provided to the following:
o Those working directly with the rabies virus
o Those having contact with random source dog and/or cat
o Those having direct contact with Category II animals in quarantine
o Those having exposure to potentially infected animal body organs or performing post mortem examinations on animals with a history of poorly defined neurological disorders
· Toxoplasmosis antibody titers are determined on any female employee of childbearing capacity who is occupationally exposed to cats or their feces
o A titer of <1:16 by immunofluorescent testing is indicative of the absence of immunity
o Those who lack immunity and plan to work with cats are informed of their susceptibility and provided with additional educational information on toxoplasmosis.
o Her supervisor will be advised (if requested by the employee) to consider arranging a temporary job re-assignment while a susceptible employee is pregnant. When this is not possible, consultation with the health care provider will be encouraged to identify alternative methods of employee protection.
Annual Renewal:
· Annual Renewal visit with healthcare provider
· Serologic monitoring will be performed as determined necessary by healthcare provider (with the exception of the first year after completion of the primary series for titer assessment)
· Booster doses are administered to employees with inadequate titer (defined as less than 5.0 IU/ml for individuals working with live rabies virus and less than 0.5 IU/ml for all others)