Technical Information

Common Abbreviations and Acronyms Related to Laboratory Animal Science

Abbreviation  Meaning

AAALAC   Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, International

AALAS   American Association for Laboratory Animal Science

ACLAM   American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine

ad libitum (ad lib)  freely, or as desired

ALAT   Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician

AVMA   American Veterinary Medical Association

AWA   Animal Welfare Act

AWIC   Animal Welfare Information Center

b.i.d.   twice per day

BSL   biosafety levels

CDC   Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CEO   Chief Executive Officer

cm   centimeter

CO2       carbon dioxide

DEA   Drug Enforcement Agency

DF   Defined flora

DNA   Deoxyribonucleic Acid

Dx   diagnosis

EPA   Environmental Protection Agency

FDA   Food & Drug Administration

FOIA   Freedom of Information Act

g   gram

GLP   Good Laboratory Practices

H,O   water

HEPA   High Efficiency Particulate Air

IACUC   Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

IC   Intracardiac

ID   Intradermal

iiFAR   Incurably III for Animal Research

ILAR   Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources

IM       Intramuscular

IP   Intraperitoneal

IV   Intravenous

kg   kilogram

I or L   liter

LAT   Laboratory Animal Technician

LATG   Laboratory Animal Technologist

m   meter

mg   milligram

ml   milliliter

mm   millimeter

NABR   National Association for Biomedical Research

NIH   National Institutes of Health

NPO   nothing by mouth (no feed or water)

NRC   Nuclear Regulatory Commission

NSAIDS   Non-SteroidalAnti-Inflammatory Drugs

NSF   National Science Foundation

OLAW Office Laboratory Animal Welfare (use to be OPRR   Office for Protection from Research Risks)

PETA   People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

PHS   Public Health Service

PI   Principal Investigator

PO     by mouth (per os)

PPE   Personal Protective Equipment

PPM   parts per million

psi   pounds per square inch

q.i.d.   four times per day

Rx   prescription

s.i.d.   once per day

SC or SQ  Subcutaneous

SOP   Standard Operating Procedures

SPF   Specific Pathogen-Free

stat   immediately

t.i.d.   three times per day

Tx   treatment

USDA  United States Department of Agriculture

0C   Celsius (centigrade)

0F   Fahrenheit

FromALAT Taining Manual,1998 ed. AALAS.

921998 AALAS Reference Directory