Computer-based animal record system in a nonhuman primate colony

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Biomedical Informatics
• Data Management

Background:

• Managing large-scale clinical and pathological data for nonhuman primate colonies presents significant challenges.
• Existing systems may be costly or require specialized programming expertise.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and describe an accessible and cost-effective microcomputer system for storing and manipulating nonhuman primate medical data.
• To create a user-friendly interface requiring no prior programming knowledge for data entry and querying.

Main Methods:

• Development of a microcomputer system utilizing commercially available packages.
• Implementation of a programming design that guides users through data entry and ad hoc queries.
• Utilizing 2- or 3-digit codes for alphabetic data and Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine codes for diagnostic data.
• Structuring data into 17 record types.

Main Results:

• The system is designed for simultaneous use by up to 4 investigators via satellite terminals.
• The system is approximately 50% operational, demonstrating functional design.
• The system minimizes the need for professional programmer input.

Conclusions:

• This novel animal medical data system leverages affordable microcomputer technology.
• The system offers a practical solution for efficient data management in nonhuman primate research.
• It empowers researchers with direct access to and control over their data.