Salian-Mehta, Smita, Poling, Jerry, Birkebak, Joanne, Rensing, Susanne, Carosino, Chris, Santos, Rosemary, West, Wanda, Adams, Khary, Orsted, Kathy, Fillman-Holliday, Denise and Burns, Monika (2022) Non-Human (NHP) husbandry and impact on NHP health: outcomes from a DruSafe/3Rs industrial benchmark survey. International Journal of Toxicology. ISSN 1091-58181092-874X

Abstract

The presence of health issues (diarrhea, poor body condition) in non-human primates (NHPs) can impact animal welfare, confound toxicity study data, and lead to animal exclusion from studies. A working group cosponsored by DruSafe and 3Rs Translational and Predictive Sciences Leadership Groups of the IQ Consortium conducted a survey to benchmark quarantine, pre-study screening, husbandry, and veterinary care practices and their impact on NHP health. Nineteen companies participated in the survey providing separate responses for studies conducted in-house and at Contract Research Organizations (CROs) from 3 regions (North America (NA), Europe and Asia) for an aggregate of 33 responses. A majority of responding companies conducted studies at NA CROs (39%) or in-house (36%) using primarily Chinese (33%) or Cambodian (27%) and to a lesser extent Vietnam (18%) or Mauritian (15%) origin NHPs. Forty-Five percent of responses had pre-study health issues (fecal abnormalities, etc.) on ≥ 1 studies with the highest incidence observed in Vietnam origin NHPs (80%). The survey suggested variable pre-screening and quarantine practices across facilities. Husbandry practices including behavioral assessments, environmental enrichment and consistent diets were associated with a lower incidence of health issues. The survey also benchmarked approaches used to diagnose and manage abnormal feces in NHPs and has provided strategies to minimize impact on NHP health. The survey highlighted opportunities for harmonizing screening criteria across industryand for improving tracking and sharing of health screening results, leading to further refinement of NHP veterinary care practices, higher quality studies, and reduced NHP use.

Item Type:	Article
Date Deposited:	17 Jan 2023 00:45
Last Modified:	17 Jan 2023 00:45
URI:	https://oak.novartis.com/id/eprint/48605