Nothing to Sneeze At: Lab Animal Allergies

by Kim Caserta, Consulting Safety Officer, Safety Partners, Inc.
Kristin Garland, Consulting Safety Officer, Safety Partners, Inc.
Sarah Mueller, Senior Consulting Safety Officer, Safety Partners, Inc.
Denise Aronson, President, Safety Partners, Inc.

Do you or your employees work with lab animals? Did you know that approximately 33 percent of people exposed to lab animals as part of their job develop symptoms of allergies? And, about 10 percent of exposed individuals have symptoms of animal- induced asthma?

Animal allergies in the lab are nothing to sneeze at. In fact, their risks and prevention deserve serious attention.

What Is an Allergic Reaction?

An allergic reaction is an immune system response experienced by the person who has become sensitized to an allergen. Animal allergens (proteins) that are present in animal dander, fur, saliva, and body waste can produce allergic reactions, such as itchy and watery eyes, sneezing, coughing congestion, itching, or skin rashes and hives. More severe symptoms may include asthma (chest tightness, shortness of breath, and wheezing), or even anaphylaxis (life-threatening swelling of the upper airways and shock).

Allergy symptoms usually occur soon after an exposure to an animal allergen, but can occur as late as eight hours after exposure. If allergy symptoms subside when you leave the area where the animal allergen is present, then you may have an animal allergy and should seek medical advice.

Once exposed to lab animal allergens, your risk of developing allergies and the severity of these reactions increases each time you are exposed to the allergens.

Urine is the most significant source of allergens in mice and rats. Employees with existing allergies are at higher risk of developing lab animal allergies than employees without existing allergies.

Fortunately, there are practices you can you follow to reduce the risk of you or your employees developing allergies or animal-induced asthma.

Reduce Inhalation Exposure

Inhalation is the most common route of exposure for an animal allergen. Inhalation can occur if you don't wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), if that PPE is defective, or if you don't follow approved protocols. Cleaning cages and feeding are the jobs that generate the highest amounts of allergen exposure.

Other Recommendations for Reducing Animal Allergen Exposure

Steps and procedures you can follow to reduce your risk of exposure to animal allergens, include:

• Wear appropriate personal protective equipment. Common PPE for lab animal work includes gloves, a particulate mask, safety glasses, hair bonnets and shoe covers, and a lab coat, scrubs, or disposable gown. Don't wear street clothes.
• Wash hands frequently and after you complete your work. Always use good hand-washing technique – wash with warm water and soap for 20-30 seconds or the amount of time it takes to sing Happy Birthday two times.
• Work with animals in ventilated hoods or biosafety cabinets.
• Don't touch your face or eyes while in animal rooms and laboratories.
• Keep cages and animal areas clean and use absorbent pads or corn cob bedding.
• Work with less allergic species of animals.
• Do not eat or drink in areas where animals or their bedding are handled.

Developing a Lab Animal Allergy?

If you believe that you are developing an allergy to lab animals, report this as soon as possible to your supervisor, lab manager, or safety officer. This will help make it possible for them to recommend additional allergy prevention measures and put you in touch with a health care provider.

Understanding animal allergen exposure routes and the symptoms of exposure to allergens, as well as applying measures to minimize allergen exposures will help reduce the risk of you or your employees developing lab animal allergies. More information about lab animal allergies is available from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/animalrt.html.

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Safety Partners efficiently and cost-effectively implements hands-on environmental, health, and safety (EHS) programs at emerging life sciences companies. Safety Partners tailors its programs to each client's unique science, processes, procedures, and facilities, while reducing program implementation burdens. Its expertise is unmatched, clocking over 85,000 hours at over 120 New England life sciences firms.