Research facilities today are frequently confronted by the challenges of adapting to new research techniques, emerging animal models, and animal research that poses potential hazards to animals and personnel. Animal program managers play a vital role in overcoming these challenges by using colony health control to ensure the protection of animal and human health while providing an appropriate environment for biomedical research, testing, and teaching. Every year, as we continue to gain more knowledge about how adventitious infections and parasites affect research animals, the field of colony health management continues to evolve”“generating new methods to screen and protect animal colonies. This chapter provides information on the tools and procedures animal program managers can use to manage the animal colony health programs in their facility, specifically bioexclusion. The focus of the chapter is on rodent colonies; however, information regarding other species is included when pertinent. More information on biosafety and biocontainment programs is available in Chapter 30 of this book and is covered in other references (CDC 2009).
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