The Assessment and Improvement of Microbiological Environmental Quality in the Laboratory Animal Center, Thammasat University, Thailand

Abstract

Laboratory Animal Center, Thammasat University concerns with safe workplace environment; therefore, the monitoring of microbiological quality is important and can affect the efficiency of operators and animal welfare. This study aimed to quantify the bacteria and fungi in the air and the surface area in the animal room, laboratory and supporting area of Laboratory Animal Center by using agar settle plates and surface swabbing. Thereafter,
the results of the microbiological quality were compared to the National Laboratory Animal Center Criteria. The results found that levels of sanitation in the animal rooms were excellent, while the storage rooms, and main corridor were good in 2017-2018. No significant difference in room temperature and relative humidity was observed. However, the bacteria colonies of the shoes in October, 2017 was significantly higher than other sampling months (16.0 ± 1.8 cfu/100 cm2, P = 0.002), indicated as fair sanitation. Therefore, the guidelines for cleaning shoes and shoe pads was developed and followed up for 1 year (2018-2019). There was
a decreased in the bacteria colonies from the shoes in all monitoring periods with good sanitation level in October, 2018 (10.0 ± 4.10 cfu/100 cm2). These results suggested that the effectiveness of microbiological environmental quality improvement and could be safety procedures for operators and experimental animals in accordance with international standards.