Facility Health Data

The facility-specific reports below contain a summary of cumulative results for the previous 18 months and details of the facility's most recent quarterly testing.

A description of the surveillance program is provided in the Health & Husbandry Statement.

To request information not available on this site, email hccm@hms.harvard.edu

Current Facility Health Data

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Programmatic Descriptions

Health Surveillance Method - Mice

Mice

HCCM distributes specific-pathogen-free (SPF) out-bred sentinel mice in all mouse rooms. Each rack has one cage with at least two female sentinel mice. These animals will respond with high antibody titers in the event of contamination with adventitious pathogens. Sentinel mice receive pooled dirty bedding from colony research animals at each cage change and are tested quarterly to determine the animal colony's health status without disturbing the investigator's animals.

The diagnostic laboratory evaluates one sentinel per rack at each quarterly surveillance period. The remaining sentinel remains until the release of the health report and may be sampled to confirm positive or equivocal findings. Following release of the surveillance report, the supervisor orders new sentinel animals and places them appropriately in each animal room.
Sentinel animals receive the following examination: Serologic examination for antibody to Mycoplasma pulmonis, Sendai Virus, Mouse Hepatitis Virus, Minute Virus of Mice, GDVII, Reo3, Pneumonia Virus of Mice, Mouse parvovirus, and Mouse Rotavirus (EDIM); internal parasites by PCR and fecal flotation and cellophane tape test; mites by PCR and microscopic pelt examination.
 
In addition to the panel described above, sentinels receive annual evaluation in the second quarter for antibody to mouse adenovirus 1 & 2, K virus, Polyoma virus, Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), and ectromelia virus. Representative tissues are fixed in formalin and histologically processed only if there is gross evidence of disease.
 
Unexpected clinical conditions may prompt evaluation for the presence of other agents as necessary, such as respiratory or enteric bacterial pathogens (e.g. Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Pasteurella pneumotropica, Bordatella bronchiseptica; Salmonella enteriditis, Citrobacter freundii).

Health Surveillance Method - Rats

Rats

HCCM distributes and maintain specific-pathogen-free (SPF) sentinel animals (Sprague Dawley rats) in all rat rooms.

Sentinel rats are exposed by transfer of pooled soiled bedding. At the quarterly surveillance period the animals are tested by serology for antibody to Mycoplasma pulmonis, Sendai Virus, Pneumonia Virus of Mice, Sialodacryoadenitis or Rat Coronavirus, Kilham Rat Virus, and Toolan's H-1 virus; internal parasites by fecal flotation and cellophane tape test; mites by microscopic pelt examination. Representative tissues are fixed in formalin only if there is gross evidence of disease.
 
In addition to the serologic panel described above, rat sentinels receive annual evaluation in the second quarter for antibody to Cilia-associated respiratory bacillus, Hanta virus, Mouse Adenovirus 1 & 2, Encephalitozoon cuniculi, Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis virus (LCMV).

Pathogen Test Profile and Schedule

Species
Biosafety level
Agents tested
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4

 

Mouse

BL1-N

Sendai virus, Pneumonia virus of mice, Mouse hepatitis virus, Minute virus of mice, GD-7 virus (Theiler's meningoencephalomyelitis virus), Reo-3 virus, Mouse parvovirus, Epizootic Diarrhea of Infant Mice (EDIM), Mouse Norovirus (Not an excluded agent),Mycoplasma pulmonis, Corynebacterium bovis, Intestinal nematodes (fecal flotation & cellophane tape test), fur mites (microscopic exam of pelage pluck).

Yes

-

Yes

Yes

BL1-N

Above plus Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, mouse adenovirus, K virus, Polyoma virus and Ectromelia.

-

Yes

-

-

BL2-N

Sentinel program for BL2-N facilities is ended. Animals are obtained from barrier facilities by transfer or directly purhased from approved vendors. Quarterly survellance data for times prior to September 2006 is available. Sendai virus, Pneumonia virus of mice, Mouse hepatitis virus, Minute virus of mice, GD-7 virus (Theiler's meningoencephalomyelitis virus), GD-7 virus, Reo-3 virus, Mouse parvovirus, EDIM, LCMV, Mouse Adenovirus (1 & 2), Ectromelia virus, K virus, Polyoma virus, Mycoplasma pulmonis

No

No

No

No

 

Rat

BL1-N

Sendai virus, Pneumonia virus of mice, Sialodacryoadenitis virus, Kilham rat virus, Toolan's H-1virus, Reo-3 virus, Rat parvovirus, Mycoplasma pulmonis,Pneumocystis carinii (not an excluded agent), Intestinal nematodes (fecal flotation & cellophane tape test), fur mites (microscopic exam of pelage pluck).

Yes

-

Yes

Yes

BL1-N

Above plus GD-7 virus (Theiler's meningoencephalomyelitis virus), Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus and Mouse adenovirus 1 & 2.

-

Yes

-

-

BL2-N

Sentinel program for BL2-N facilities is ended. Animals are obtained from barrier facilities by transfer or directly purhased from approved vendors. Sendai virus, Pneumonia virus of mice, Sialodacryoadenitis virus, Kilham rat virus, Toolan's H-1 virus, Reo-3 virus, Rat parvovirus, GD-7 virus, Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus and Mouse adenovirus 1 & 2,Mycoplasma pulmonis

No

No

No

No

 

Hamster

BL1-N

Sendai virus, SV-5, Pneumonia virus of mice, Reo-3 virus, Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus

Yes

-

Yes

Yes

Above plus Encephalitozoon cuniculi

-

Yes

-

-

Room/Rack Surveillance Sentinel Program

Testing Interval

Quarantine Program

Quarantine Program

Species

Agents Tested

Programmatic Details

Mouse

PCR:Sendai virus, Pneumonia virus of mice,Mouse hepatitis virus, Minute virus of mice, GD-7 virus, Reo-3 virus, Mouse parvovirus (MPV 1-4), Epizootic Diarrhea of Infant Mice (EDIM), Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, Ectromelia virus, K virus, Mouse Norovirus (Not an excluded agent), Polyoma virus, Mouse adenovirus 1 & 2, Hanta Seoul, Hantaan virus, Cilia-associated Respiratory bacillus, Mycoplasma pulmonis

Parasitology: Intestinal nematodes, fur mites (PCR).

Quarantine is mandatory for animals arriving from non-approved suppliers. This is to ensure that animals introduced to specific pathogen free (SPF) colonies are also free of pathogens.

Prophylactic Treatments: Imported animals are treated prophylactically with fenbendazole feed for nematodes and Selamectin topical treatments for ectoparasites (fur mites).

Note: Hairless animals (i.e. hairless pups and nude mice) are not infested with fur mites and therefore are not treated with topical Selamectin.

Assessment: Fecal samples and pelage samples are sent for PCR evaluation.

Results: Data from the HCCM Diagnostic Laboratory and referral laboratories are assembled. Negative results will qualify animals for transfer out of quarantine to colony housing in the facility requested. As per prior arrangements stipulated in the quarantine process, positive results for excluded, untreatable pathogens will require humane sacrifice of the quarantined animals or removal of the quarantine lot by HCCM from HMS facilities to a commercial vendor for re-derivation.

Pathogens for which effective treatment is available and implemented will be confined by HCCM and reevaluation with negative results will be required prior to release.

Rat

PCR: Sendai virus, Pneumonia virus of mice, Sialodacryoadenitis virus, Kilham rat virus, Toolan's H-1virus, GD-7 virus, Reo-3 virus, Rat parvovirus, Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, Mouse adenovirus 1 & 2, Hanta Seoul, Hantaan virus, Pneumocystis carinii (not an excluded agent), Cilia-associated respiratory bacillus, Mycoplasma pulmonis

Parasitology: Intestinal nematodes, fur mites (PCR).

As for mice.