What is the appropriate action to take when a disease strikes a laboratory animal colony?

When a disease outbreak occurs in a laboratory animal colony, the appropriate action is often to isolate affected animals and monitor their recovery. This approach allows for both the management of the outbreak and the preservation of any unaffected animals in the colony. Isolating affected animals helps prevent the spread of disease to healthy individuals and provides an opportunity to assess the situation more thoroughly. It also allows researchers to gather data on the disease, including its transmission and effects, which may be critical for ongoing studies and animal welfare.

Euthanizing the entire colony and starting anew, while it may be considered in certain severe cases, is generally a more drastic measure that may not be necessary for all outbreaks. This option would result in loss of all data and genetic stock, which is often not ideal unless the disease cannot be contained within the colony.

Administering vaccines to all surviving animals does not address the immediate need for containment and monitoring of affected individuals, and it may not be effective if the disease is already present.

Discontinuing all research until further notice is also excessively broad and can lead to unnecessary delays in important scientific work, especially if the situation can be managed with targeted interventions. Each situation requires a careful assessment, but isolating and monitoring affected animals is typically