Detection and control of mouse parvovirus

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Science
• Infectious Disease Control
• Laboratory Animal Science

Background:

• Mouse parvovirus (MPV) is a common infection in laboratory mouse colonies.
• MPV poses a significant challenge to research integrity and animal welfare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate two distinct strategies for the detection and eradication of active mouse parvovirus infections.
• To assess the long-term efficacy of these strategies in maintaining MPV-free status in research facilities.

Main Methods:

• Strategy 1: A test-and-cull approach involving sentinel mice and regular soiled bedding transfers over 20 weeks.
• Strategy 2: A modified quarantine protocol for critical breeding mice, including serology and fecal PCR testing, with retesting after relocation.

Main Results:

• Both strategies successfully eliminated MPV from the targeted rooms, confirmed by multiple rounds of negative testing.
• The test-and-cull method required an average of 20 weeks to achieve three consecutive negative testing rounds.
• The modified quarantine approach successfully cleared MPV from essential breeding colonies, with all mice testing negative post-relocation and retesting.

Conclusions:

• The implemented test-and-cull and modified quarantine strategies are effective for eradicating mouse parvovirus from laboratory environments.
• Sustained MPV-free status was achieved, indicated by extensive negative testing over several years post-intervention.
• These methods provide valuable tools for managing and controlling MPV outbreaks in research settings.