Current strategies for controlling/eliminating opportunistic microorganisms

Abstract

Exclusion of microorganisms from any research facility is a dynamic process prone to occasional failures. Many available techniques can be assembled into a control strategy for any animal facility, but their selection and application must be carefully considered. Key to any control strategy is an assessment of risk with respect to specific microorganisms. The decision to exclude microorganisms from 1 or more groups of animals within a research facility must be carefully considered and based on facts, not assumptions. As the list of selected organisms becomes more extensive and the organisms become more ubiquitous in the environment, the likelihood of success with bioexclusion strategies decreases. Planning must be done well in advance of any potential contamination to limit the damage caused by it. In the end, the selection of appropriate bioexclusion systems and control strategies must be balanced between the level of risk assessment and the resources available to accomplish the objective.