You will be contacted by OSEH regarding enrollment and appointments. If a determination is made that you are eligible for participation in the program, you will be assigned to one of five categories based upon the species of animals with which you are or will be working, the average amount of contact per week and the potential risks to you. Also in this Category will be individuals requiring customized programs to meet special needs. The specific components of the Health Program will vary somewhat depending on which category you are in. For example, individuals in Category A will not be vaccinated against rabies because the likelihood of exposure to rabies from contact with species in that category is almost nonexistent.
Zoonoses are infectious diseases transmitted from animals to man.
Most animals used in research do not pose a risk to people handling them because whenever possible, disease-free animals are utilized as research subjects. Nevertheless, on rare occasions, animal handlers can contract diseases from research animals. Primates, wild animals, dogs, cats and some farm animals can carry diseases that pose the greatest risks to humans. Therefore, the health program for people working with these species is somewhat different than the program for people working with rodents. Injury from animal bites or scratches present the greatest risk to animal handlers because many pathogens are found on the oral mucosa or in the saliva of laboratory animals.