Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) Practice Exam

Quarantine rooms maintain negative pressure to ensure that ______ when the door is opened.

1. noise levels are minimized

2. heat is preserved

3. pathogens cannot be carried out

4. light does not enter

The correct answer is: pathogens cannot be carried out

Quarantine rooms are designed to maintain a negative pressure environment primarily to control the spread of pathogens. This negative pressure ensures that, when the door is opened, the air from outside does not flow into the quarantine space, preventing potential contaminants or infectious agents from being carried out of the room. This is especially important in laboratory animal facilities where the health and safety of both the animals and staff are of utmost concern. Maintaining negative pressure helps to effectively isolate the animals, thereby mitigating the risk of disease transmission during procedures or when personnel enter or exit. The other options do not pertain to the primary purpose of a quarantine room's negative pressure system. For instance, minimizing noise levels, preserving heat, or controlling light entry are not critical factors when it comes to the function of quarantine environments in relation to infection control. The focus here is entirely on preventing the spread of pathogens.