Revision of guidelines for health monitoring of non-human primates

The actual version of the Recommendations for the health monitoring of non-human primates (NHP) colonies was completed in 1998 and published in 1999. The preamble states that these recommendations will be under periodical review and amendments will be published as necessary. Twelve years later, science has evolved, new methodologies have been investigated and new organisms have been considered to be relevant for health screening. New assessments have been made if certain organisms have to be regarded as pathogenic or not. The source of NHP is not limited to the European breeding colonies. Importation from many countries is still necessary. Harmonized health management at the breeding colonies and in the research centres is necessary to manage healthy colonies, to implement appropriate quarantine procedures, to limit infectious agent outbreaks, and to warrant animal welfare. Furthermore, as many primate pathogens are shared with humans, personnel needs to be protected from zoonotic diseases and, vice versa, the animals need to be protected from pathogens carried by humans. In the context of the development of 2nd and subsequent generation colonies and self-sustaining colonies, updated recommendations based on good veterinary practices will be valuable to ensure the health conditions of non-human primates used in research. Relevant and reliable health reports should be available to the end users of such animals.