Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 4, 2026
Animal Model of Implant-Associated Infections in Mice
Published on: June 27, 2025
Opportunistic infections of mice and rats: Jacoby and Lindsey revisited
1University Laboratory Animal Resources, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. carty2@pobox.upenn.edu
Abstract:
Adventitious infections among rodents used in biomedical research and teaching continue to be problematic even with improved housing and disease-deterrent methodologies. In addition to well-documented viral diseases (e.g., mouse hepatitis virus and rodent parvoviruses) and parasites (mites and pinworms), new pathogens such as murine norovirus have emerged in recent years. Infectious agents can enter colonies via incoming rodent shipments, in unscreened biological materials, on people (especially husbandry or investigative staff) who move from a location where animals have a lower health status to an area where health status is higher and operational procedures are more stringent, or by introduction of contaminated food, bedding material, or other fomites. These factors, coupled with the very high volume of movement of rodents within and between institutions, increase the risk of spreading infectious agents. The challenge to the laboratory animal community is to implement control measures that halt the passage of these organisms from one location to another while still enabling collaborative scientific discovery to proceed with minimal disruption. It is therefore critical to make appropriate decisions about identifying outbreaks in a timely fashion and controlling the spread of infection once identified. Such efforts should be practical, reproducible, and cost-effective.
Insights
Controlling adventitious infections in research rodents is crucial. Implementing practical, cost-effective measures to identify and manage outbreaks prevents pathogen spread, ensuring research integrity.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Pathology
- Laboratory Animal Science
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Background:
- Adventitious infections in research rodents pose significant challenges to biomedical research and teaching.
- Emerging pathogens like murine norovirus, alongside established viral diseases and parasites, complicate disease control efforts.
- Infectious agents can be introduced through various routes, including animal shipments, biological materials, personnel movement, and contaminated fomites.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the persistent problem of adventitious infections in laboratory rodents.
- To emphasize the need for effective strategies to control the spread of infectious agents within research facilities.
- To underscore the importance of timely outbreak identification and management for maintaining research continuity.
Main Methods:
- Review of common routes of pathogen introduction into rodent colonies.
- Discussion of challenges in preventing disease transmission within and between institutions.
- Emphasis on the need for practical, reproducible, and cost-effective control measures.
Main Results:
- Adventitious infections remain a significant issue despite improved housing and methodologies.
- Multiple pathways exist for the introduction and spread of infectious agents.
- The high volume of rodent movement exacerbates the risk of transmission.
Conclusions:
- Effective control of adventitious infections requires timely identification and management of outbreaks.
- Control measures must be practical, reproducible, and cost-effective to minimize disruption to scientific discovery.
- Proactive strategies are essential to maintain the health status of rodent colonies.
More Related Videos
09:17A Robust Pneumonia Model in Immunocompetent Rodents to Evaluate Antibacterial Efficacy against S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa or A. baumannii
Published on: January 2, 2017
07:43A Non-invasive and Technically Non-intensive Method for Induction and Phenotyping of Experimental Bacterial Pneumonia in Mice
Published on: September 28, 2016