In research labs using animals, many diseases are transplanted or injected into animals to study their pathophysiology and potential treatments. One such example is seen in the image showing a mouse with an implanted human tumor. However, transmission of zoonotic diseases to humans working there is also possible and is a documented occupational hazard. Just a few examples of diseases that can be acquired by lab workers from the animals include:
- Entamoeba histolytica (from primates and occasionally dogs and cats)
- Herpesvirus simiae (from monkeys)
- Brucella spp. (from pigs and dogs)
- Salmonella spp. (from rats, guinea pigs, and many others)
- Campylobacter spp. (from chickens, hamsters, cats, and others)
These are just a few examples of the many pathogens listed in a journal article by F.C. Hankenson et al entitled "Zoonoses of Occupational Health Importance in Contemporary Laboratory Animal Research". As some of these can then be transmitted from human to human, these laboratories can thus be a source of disease spread in the community.
