Barrier levels at KI animal facilities
Different barrier levels at KI animal facilities allows optimized animal welfare, efficient use of resources and reliable research results.
Karolinska Institutet is one of the worlds most prominent medial universities focusing on improving human health. A key success factor to reaching our goal is having scientists working in a modern and safe environment which contributes in the best possible way to reliable research results.
Good animal welfare is crucial
Animal research is based on good animal welfare and prohibiting the dispersal of infectious diseases which may affect the animal welfare and the research results. Safe and efficient handling and transportation of animals is paramount.
To reach the goal of optimal animal welfare KI has defined a barrier concept with several "barrier levels" in the animal facilities. The barrier levels contribute to the refinement of animal research, but also to the reduction of the number of animals used in research, according to the principle of the 3Rs.
Example: A PhD student or postdoc with limited amount of time to complete a study may experience serious consequences if faced by a contaminant a the animal facility such as delayed experiments and affected research results. By offering several barrier levels KI creates a research environment where the risk of disease dispersal is minimal, and where it is possible to move animals between different units within the same barrier level or to a lower barrier level.
A standard for animal research
Barrier levels presents the perfect setting for standardized animal research at KI. This means that all animal facilities have the same routines for working with animal care, breeding, procedures and logistics.
Standardized working routines facilitates:
- reporting on how the animal has been handled during the experiment
- cluster information on similar research
- improve the prerequisites and knowledge transfer across research projects
- share costs for housing space, equipment and personnel
- transfer of animals between animal facility units
What is a barrier?
A barrier is an enclosed, separately ventilated, delimited animal facility unit with a stable, defined and standardised environment, making conducting experiments under microbiological control possible. The barrier is maintained by a strictly controlled airflow and pressure and strict rules for moving personnel, animals, materials and equipment. Control systems are accessed through airlocks ("air showers") with regulated airflow of sterilised and filtered air.
Different approaches in research may require different settings, which the barriers can provide. The different barrier levels typically fulfill the needs of:
- the animals' sensitivity to infections (immunocompromised animals)
- the type of activity (core breeding, regular breeding, long- or short term experiments, acute experiments, infectious experiments)
- the allowed level of access for personnel (researchers, animal technicians)
The barrier levels
For barrier B, C and D the personnel may enter a lower barrier level (B → C → D) without quarantine. Entering higher barrier levels (D → C → B ) requires a quarantine period of at least 24 hours including a regular shower with water.
For barrier A the possibility to enter other barrier levels is determined by the activities in the barrier. From barrier A+ the personnel may, in most cases, enter barrier C and D directly. From barrier A- to another barrier a regular shower with water is needed.
Animals may be moved to a lower barrier level (B → C → D) without any decontamination procedure or quarantine period, but only on consent from the animal facility management and registration of the move in the official animal records data base.
Example: A scientist wishing to report on all relevant parameters during an experiment may do so simply, standardised and transparently. Research results can then be more easily evaluated and repeated by other scientists.
Routines for barriers at KI Campus Solna
Barrier A+
Can be used for immunocompromised animals. No existing facility at the moment.
- A+ is the barrier level adapted to critical core breeding, severely immunocompromised animals and gnotobiotic animals.
- Personnel has an air shower in and out of the barrier. At least 24 hours quarantine period and a regular water shower including a hair wash and change of clothes is required after visiting a lower barrier level or if in close contact with rodents. Regular access is not granted; certain competence is required.
- Animals enter on the basis of a case-to-case evaluation by the facility management.
Barrier A-
Quarantine. Facility: Import portal at KM-W and BSL2/3 Lab at KM-F
- A- is the barrier level for e.g. infectious experiments, quarantine of imported animals or isolation of infected animals still undergoing experiments. Experiments that may be conducted within the A-barrier are at BSL 2 or BSL 3 level, if specific requirements are fulfilled.
- Personnel has an air shower in and out of the barrier. At least 24 hours quarantine period and a regular water shower including a hair wash and change of clothes is required after visiting a lower barrier level or if in close contact with rodents. Regular access is not granted; certain competence is required.
- Animals enter on the basis of a case-to-case evaluation by the facility management.
Barrier B
Unit for core breeding, transgene, and knock-out production. Facility: KM-W
- Barrier B level is a SOPF (specific-opportunistic-pathogen-free) unit for core breeding, trans gene and knock out production, and for animals with mild immunodeficiencies.
- Personnel has an air shower in and out of the barrier. At least 24 hours quarantine period and a regular water shower, including a hair wash and change of clothes, are required after visiting a lower barrier level or if in close contact with rodents. Access for researchers is not granted. In case the presence of a researcher is necessary, the researcher can only enter the barrier aided by a technician.
- Animals enter through embryo transfer. Special cases may occur if the barrier is made to receive live animals from a certain breeder (only SOPF animals).
Barrier C
Research unit, breeding and experiments. Facility: KM-A
- Barrier level C is the environment for animal experiments, where SPF animals are required, and for regular breeding of desired genotypes if core breeding in a higher barrier level is unnecessary.
- Personnel has an air shower in and out of the barrier. At least 24 hours quarantine period and a regular water shower, including a hair wash and change of clothes, are required after visiting a lower barrier level or if in close contact with rodents. Access is granted to people working with animal care and researchers surveilling and performing animal experiments.
- Animals enter through embryo transfer. In addition, live animals with known SPF status from certain breeders may also enter with approved means of transport.
Barrier D
Research unit, breeding and experiments. Facility: KM-B
- Barrier level D is an environment for animal experiments, where SPF animals are not required, and for regular breeding of desired genotypes if core breeding in a higher barrier level is unnecessary.
- Personnel and researcher have an air shower in and out of the barrier. At least 24 hours quarantine period and a regular water shower, including a hair wash and change of clothes, are required after visiting a lower barrier level or if in close contact with rodents.
- Animals enter through embryo transfer, or live animals with known SPF status from approved breeders can enter with approved means of transport.
- Live animals from other sources that do not fulfil the FELASA standard may enter based on a case-to-case evaluation by the facility management, including quarantine (4 weeks).
Barrier E
Short-term housing - end unit, depending on area intermediate housing or housing only up to max 7 days and experiments only. Certain breeding only in one area. Facility: KM-B (short term; no breeding) and Fast Track at KMW (intermediate; certain breeding)
- Barrier E level is an open unit either without protective shell housing (KMB) animals in terminal experiments or with protective shell housing (KMW/Fast-Track). The housing of the animals depends on the site.
- Access is only granted to persons working with animal care and researchers performing animal experiments. Depending on the area entering is via a prep room where required lab coats, hair nets, and hand disinfection is available. On exiting, an air shower is available to prevent the spread of allergens. Otherwise, entering is via an air shower in and out of the barrier.
- Live animals enter according to the area regulation. To KMB/E-barrier only from the D-barrier. To KMW/Fast-Track from all sources, even if health status does not comply with FELASA recommendations, exceptions are animals with zoonoses, endo- or ectoparasites, MHV, mycoplasma, parvovirus and other infectious agents
Background
Background
During 2010-2018 the animal facilities at Karolinska Institutet were remodelled and updated. Old facilities were rebuilt or replaced by newly built ones. Facing the remodelling project was a collected group of representatives from the CMB and MTC departments, the KI veterinary unit, and the KI real estate unit, who defined the KI barrier levels A-D together. The definition of these barrier levels has later been complemented with the E barrier level.