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Reliability of soiled bedding transfer for detection of mouse parvovirus and mouse hepatitis virus
Peter C Smith1, Michelle Nucifora, Jon D Reuter
1Section of Comparative Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. peter.smith@yale.edu
Abstract:
Serologic monitoring of sentinel mice exposed to soiled bedding is a common method of detecting viral infections in mice. Because bedding transfer protocols vary, the sensitivity of this method has not been documented sufficiently. We examined the reliability of bedding transfer during various stages of infection with mouse parvovirus (MPV) and mouse hepatitis virus (MHV). Most mice exposed to bedding contaminated with MPV 0, 3, or 7 d previously seroconverted, whereas only mice exposed to bedding contaminated with MHV 4 h previously seroconverted, thus confirming the differing stabilities of these viruses. Index mice were inoculated with 30 times the infectious dose 50 (ID50) of MPV or 300 ID50 of MHV. At 3 d, 1 wk, and 2 wk postinoculation (PI), we transferred 25, 50, or 100 ml of bedding to cages of sentinel mice. Viral infection and shedding by index mice was confirmed by serology and fecal polymerase chain reaction assay. Transfer of soiled bedding between mice in static cages induced seroconversion of sentinel mice most reliably during peak viral shedding (1 wk PI for MPV and 3 d PI for MHV). Soiled bedding transfer between mice in individually ventilated cages induced a higher prevalence of sentinel seroconversion to MPV and MHV than that after transfer between mice in static cages. Our findings indicate that although soiled bedding transfer is an effective method for detecting MHV and MPV under optimal conditions, the method is less than 100% reliable under many conditions in contemporary mouse facilities.
Insights
Sentinel mice bedding transfer reliably detects mouse parvovirus (MPV) and mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) during peak shedding. However, sensitivity varies with virus stability and housing, indicating this method is not always 100% reliable.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Virology
- Laboratory Animal Science
- Infectious Disease Diagnostics
Background:
- Serologic monitoring of sentinel mice via soiled bedding transfer is standard for detecting viral infections.
- Variations in bedding transfer protocols limit understanding of this method's diagnostic sensitivity.
- The stability of mouse parvovirus (MPV) and mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) in bedding impacts detection reliability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the reliability and sensitivity of soiled bedding transfer for detecting MPV and MHV infections in sentinel mice.
- To determine the influence of different infection stages and bedding transfer volumes on sentinel mouse seroconversion.
- To compare the efficacy of bedding transfer in static versus individually ventilated cage systems.
Main Methods:
- Index mice were inoculated with MPV or MHV, and their viral shedding confirmed via serology and PCR.
- Soiled bedding (25, 50, or 100 ml) was transferred to sentinel mice at 3 days, 1 week, and 2 weeks post-inoculation.
- Sentinel mice seroconversion was assessed to determine infection detection rates under various conditions.
Main Results:
- Sentinel mice seroconverted most effectively when exposed to bedding from MPV-infected mice at 1 week post-inoculation and MHV-infected mice at 3 days post-inoculation.
- MPV-contaminated bedding induced seroconversion up to 7 days post-contamination, while MHV-contaminated bedding was effective only up to 4 hours.
- Individually ventilated cages resulted in higher sentinel mouse seroconversion rates for both MPV and MHV compared to static cages.
Conclusions:
- Soiled bedding transfer is an effective, but not universally reliable, method for detecting MPV and MHV in mouse facilities.
- Optimal detection relies on understanding virus-specific shedding patterns and bedding contamination stability.
- Housing systems significantly influence the sensitivity of sentinel mouse monitoring via bedding transfer.
