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).