The objective of this program is to maintain non-human primates and other small animals in biohazard containment facilities for studies of selected respiratory tract and enteric disease. In addition, many technical procedures will be performed on the animals. Testing of various reassortant influenza viruses, human respiratory syncytial viruses and rotaviruses will be done in squirrel, owl, patas, rhesus, and African Green monkeys, and possibly ferrets. Studies with respiratory tract infections will, particularly, be focused on testing of candidate vaccine strains and will involve from 4 to 20 animals per study. Individual studies will likely not exceed two months in duration and up to 8 studies will be performed each year. The technical and professional staff of SEMA will perform the experimental protocols as provided by the Project Officer. This will include inoculating the primates with viral material provided by the Project Officer, collecting blood and tissue samples, performing physical examinations, and other experimental procedures such as exploratory laparotomies and lymph node biopsies. For most of the studies, it is anticipated that SEMA will perform nasal and throat swabs, tracheal lavages, intratracheal inoculations, radiographs and clinical observations. For a typical 20 animal influenza study; 20 radiographs, 20 tracheal inoculations, 600 nasal and throat swabs, 120 tracheal lavages and 100 blood samples will be performed over a 28 to 56 day period.
