Guidance paper for accreditation of laboratory animal diagnostic laboratories

The use of microbiologically defined animals in biomedical research has become standard practice in the last few decades. Microbiological standardization has reduced the numbers of animals used by reducing the variation within and between test groups. It has also improved the overall health of laboratory animals, thus improving their welfare, and has reduced human health risks due to zoonotic diseases. Microbiological standardization is based upon routine testing of the animals at regular intervals (health monitoring).