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Using reduced personal protective equipment in an endemically infected mouse colony
Samuel W Baker1, Kevin A Prestia2, Brian Karolewski2
1Institute of Comparative Medicine, Columbia University, New York, USA. sb3367@columbia.edu.
Summary
Reducing personal protective equipment (PPE) in rodent facilities is adequate for disease containment. This approach saves costs while limiting disease spread when proper microisolation caging techniques are used.
Area of Science:
- Laboratory Animal Science
- Infectious Disease Control
- Biosecurity Protocols
Background:
- Personal protective equipment (PPE) is standard in rodent facilities to prevent adventitial disease spread.
- Current PPE practices often rely on institutional history rather than performance data.
- Standard PPE includes hair bonnets, gowns, masks, shoe covers, and gloves.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of a reduced PPE protocol in containing disease spread within a rodent colony.
- To determine if a less stringent PPE approach impacts disease transmission.
- To assess the cost-effectiveness of reduced PPE protocols.
Main Methods:
- A reduced PPE protocol, covering only direct contact areas, was tested.
- Naïve mice were housed in an endemically infected facility for 12 weeks.
- Routine husbandry was performed using both standard and reduced PPE protocols.
Main Results:
- Mice in the reduced PPE group remained free of viral antibodies (murine norovirus, mouse hepatitis virus).
- The reduced PPE protocol effectively contained disease spread.
- No significant difference in disease containment was observed between standard and reduced PPE protocols.
Conclusions:
- Reduced PPE is sufficient for disease containment in rodent facilities when proper microisolation caging techniques are employed.
- Implementing reduced PPE protocols can lead to significant cost savings.
- This study supports evidence-based adjustments to PPE practices in research animal facilities.