Version 1
: Received: 20 April 2024 / Approved: 22 April 2024 / Online: 22 April 2024 (14:02:12 CEST)
How to cite:
Chipangura, J.K.; Abdussamad, A.M.; Lewis, D.I. The Veterinarian’s Role in Biocontainment Research Animal Facilities and Prevention of Spread of Pathogens in Africa. Preprints2024, 2024041414. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202404.1414.v1
Chipangura, J.K.; Abdussamad, A.M.; Lewis, D.I. The Veterinarian’s Role in Biocontainment Research Animal Facilities and Prevention of Spread of Pathogens in Africa. Preprints 2024, 2024041414. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202404.1414.v1
Chipangura, J.K.; Abdussamad, A.M.; Lewis, D.I. The Veterinarian’s Role in Biocontainment Research Animal Facilities and Prevention of Spread of Pathogens in Africa. Preprints2024, 2024041414. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202404.1414.v1
APA Style
Chipangura, J.K., Abdussamad, A.M., & Lewis, D.I. (2024). The Veterinarian’s Role in Biocontainment Research Animal Facilities and Prevention of Spread of Pathogens in Africa. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202404.1414.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Chipangura, J.K., Abdussamad M. Abdussamad and David I. Lewis. 2024 "The Veterinarian’s Role in Biocontainment Research Animal Facilities and Prevention of Spread of Pathogens in Africa" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202404.1414.v1
Abstract
COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, was first identified in China in 2019. The exact origin of the disease remains uncertain, with theories suggesting it may have emerged from animals or accidentally leaked from a research laboratory. If the hypothesis that COVID-19 originated from a research laboratory is accurate, it is crucial to investigate potential pathways for pathogens to escape from biocontainment research animal facilities (BRAFs). We examine key biosafety issues associated with BRAFs, including inadequate decontamination procedures for water and experimental samples, handling high biosafety level pathogens in lower level laboratories, risks of animal bites and sharps injuries, contamination of bedding and enrichment materials, and improper management and transportation of biohazard samples. Additionally, we discuss the role of veterinarians in African research animal facilities and the challenges they encounter in maintaining biocontainment standards. We emphasize the importance of routine monitoring of effluent water to detect possible disease outbreaks. We recommend a thorough investigation of the COVID-19 pandemic to identify potential sources of pathogen release from BRAFs, which could serve as hotspots for future disease outbreaks. Findings from such investigations will inform the development of policies aimed at safeguarding human populations from future pandemics and preventing BRAFs from becoming sources of infectious disease outbreaks.
Keywords
Veterinarian; Biocontainment research animal facility; Epicentre; Pathogens; Contamination
Subject
Public Health and Healthcare, Public, Environmental and Occupational Health
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
