What is the first step in preventing and controlling disease in laboratory animals?

The first step in preventing and controlling disease in laboratory animals is quarantine. Quarantine is essential because it involves isolating newly received animals from the existing population to monitor their health status and prevent potential disease transmission. During this period, animals can be observed for any signs of illness and may undergo testing for pathogens. This helps to ensure that any diseases present in new arrivals do not spread to healthy animals in the facility.

While sanitation and hygiene, physical examinations, and isolation procedures are all critical components of disease control, they serve as supplementary measures that come into play after the quarantine stage has ensured that any new animals introduced into the population are not carriers of infectious diseases. Establishing a quarantine protocol initially helps to lay a strong foundation for the health of the entire animal population in a laboratory setting.