Chapter 6: Health Surveillance And Quality Assurance

Question 1

What term best describes the methods used to detect adventitious bacteria, viruses, or parasites at an early stage of infection?
A- Quality assurance
B- Health surveillance
C- Animal husbandry
D- Environmental monitoring

Answer 1

B- Health surveillance

Question 2

In an animal environment, quality assurance applies to systems used to operate the facility and provide for the animals, such as:
A- Animal care
B- Sanitation
C- Food inventory
D- All of the above

Answer 2

D- All of the above

Question 3

What is a good way to screen the health status of incoming animals?
A- Ask the vendor to quarantine the animals for 14 days before delivery
B- Request several extra animals from the vendor to use for health screening
C- Disinfect the exterior of the transport cages before admitting the animals to the colony
D- Examine the animals as soon as they arrive

Answer 3

B- request several extra animals from the vendor to sue for health screening

Question 4

True or False
Serology is the best method to detect pathogens in immunodeficient animals

Answer 4

False

Question 5

Name two advantages of PCR over other detection techniques.

Answer 5

1- It does not require the host to have a completely functional immune system
2- It has a very high sensitivity
3- Test of choice for identifying infection by Helicobacteria spp.
4- Available for many viruses

Question 6

Which test detects known DNA sequences characteristic for the pathogens?
A- Polymerase chain reaction
B- Enzyme-linked immunosobent assay
C- Indirect immunofluorescence assay
D- Multiplex fluorescent immunosassay

Answer 6

A- Polymerase chain reaction

Question 7

True or False
Sentinel animals are experimental animals that are subjected to extra testing during the course of the study.

Answer 7

False

Question 8

List three characteristics of sentinel animals.

Answer 8

1- They should be Immunocompetent
2- They should be at least 8-12 weeks old
3- They should be initially free of the agent being tested

Question 9

Why are sentinels not an effective method to detect some viral pathogens, such as Sendai virus?

Answer 9

Because they are better at detecting pathogens which are spread by the oral-fecal route and less so for pathogens spread by aerosol transmission

Question 10

Why are older animals NOT appropriate for use as sentinels?

Answer 10

They often develop nonspecific antibodies that may interfere with the testing

Question 11

Facilities that must meet GLP standards are most likely to use which type of feed?
A- Certified diets
B- Autoclaved diets
C- Irradiated diets
D- Commercially available diets

Answer 11

A- Certified diets

Question 12

List four components of a successful water quality monitoring system.

Answer 12

1- Regular testing of the functionality of the watering system
2- Testing for chemical and bacterial contaminants
3- Regular screening of the equipment
4- Keeping a log of all the testing

Question 13

Identify two potential problems with fresh bedding that animal care staff should be able to detect easily when changing cages.

Answer 13

1- Excessive dust
2- Presence of foreign materials in the bedding

Question 14

What test is used to detect DNA sequence of pathogen?

Answer 14

PCR

Question 15

What test is used to detect Syphacia spp.?

Answer 15

Anal tape test

Question 16

What test is used to detect Aspiculuris tetraptera?

Answer 16

Cecal content exam

Question 17

What test is used to detect Psuedomonas aeruginosa?

Answer 17

Bacterial culture

Question 18

What test is used to detect RNA sequence of pathogen?

Answer 18

RT-PCR

Question 19

What is the advantage of using chemically treated papers inside a package rather than putting a sensor tape on the surface of the package to monitor autoclave functions?

Answer 19

The sensor tapes only reveal conditions of the specific site of the test.
Using papers inside the package ensures that the correct temperature was reached inside the package, not only on the surface.

Question 20

Continuous exposure to acoustical levels above _____ decibels (dB) can have both auditory and nonauditory effects.
A- 75
B- 80
C- 85
D- 90

Answer 20

C- 85

Question 21

True or False
Radios should not be permitted in any room where animals are housed.

Answer 21

False

Question 22

Light levels of ________ foot-candles at ______ meter(s) above the floor are adequate for most routine care procedures.
A- 10; 2
B- 15; 1
C- 20; 2
D- 30; 1

Answer 22

D- 30; 1

Question 23

True or False
PCR rodent infectious agent (PRIA) panels allow detection of an infectious agent even if present in low numbers.

Answer 23

True

Question 24

In what situations is PRIA testing a valuable component of a screening program?

Answer 24

The pathogen is difficult to detect or characterize with other methods;
The pathogen takes along time to culture;
The pathogen requires histopathology to confirm

Question 25

List two disadvantages of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test?

Answer 25

1- PCR is only available for certain pathogens
2- PCR only detects active infections

Question 26

What is the overall goal of a quality assurance (QA) program?

Answer 26

The overall goal of a QA program is to maintain the consistency of the research animal models an the integrity of the scientific methodology.

Question 27

Which of the following is TRUE about adenosine triphosphate (ATP) test swabs?
A- It uses a light generating response to measure the amount of ATP present
B- It is a slower method to use as compared to culture
C- It can identify what specific containment is found
D- It marks sources of contamination as colony forming units (CFUs)

Answer 27

A- It uses a light generating response to measure the amount of ATP present

Question 28

Which of the following strategies is used in pest management?
A- Containers of feed should be kept closed
B- Wastes should be disposed of properly
C- Cracks in the walls should be quickly fixed
D- All of the above

Answer 28

D- All of the above

Question 29

What are three common causes of autoclave failure?

Answer 29

1- The cycle did not achieve 100% air removal
2- proper steam pressure was not reached
3- The run time was too short

Or any combination of these deficiencies