Design and Husbandry Considerations for a Containment Level 2 Aquatic Facility

Area of Science:

• Aquatic Animal Research
• Laboratory Animal Science
• Infectious Disease Research

Background:

• Increased use of aquatic species in disease research over 20 years.
• Evolution of aquatic housing from basic aquaria to research-grade systems.
• Growing need for specialized facilities for infectious disease studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline facility design requirements for housing zebrafish infected with biosafety level 2 (CL2) pathogens.
• To provide guidance on modifications for planning, constructing, and using CL2-compliant aquatic research facilities.
• To ensure optimal research, animal welfare, and regulatory compliance.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of facility design considerations based on practical experience.
• Focus on critical elements such as water and equipment decontamination.
• Inclusion of racking and filtration design, personal protective equipment (PPE), and husbandry procedures.

Main Results:

• Identification of key facility design and management aspects for CL2 aquatic research.
• Emphasis on robust, practical, and flexible system designs.
• Guidance applicable to the planning, construction, and daily operation of specialized facilities.

Conclusions:

• Specialized aquatic facility design is essential for safe and effective research with CL2 pathogens.
• Comprehensive planning addressing decontamination, infrastructure, and procedures is required.
• This guidance supports the advancement of aquatic animal models in infectious disease research.