Animalfree screening of biological materials for contamination by rodent viruses

Pathogenic bacteria and viruses may be transmitted to laboratory rodents by contaminated biological materials potentially causing disease and confounding research results. Biological materials have historically being screened by using the mouse antibody production (MAP) test. We developed an alternative assay using polymerase chain reaction (PCR/real-time-PCR) technology to detect viral contamination directly in biological material. The assay was found to be of equal or greater sensitivity when compared to the MAP test.