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Srn LE, Hammarberg LK, Kastenmayer RJ, Hallengren LC. Developing a Performance Standard for Adequate Sanitization of Wire-Bar Lids. J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci 2016; 55:765-768. [PMID: 27931314 PMCID: PMC5113877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2015] [Revised: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The wire-bar lids on rodent cages are an integral part of the microenvironment and as such can impact rodent health and wellbeing. The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals recommends changing wire-bar lids every other week but does not include a predetermined performance standard. To develop a sanitization performance standard, we evaluated the bacterial and other cellular burden of wire-bar lids over 4 wk. The results show no significant difference in ATP or bacterial burden over 3 wk of continuous use in conventional cages with standard rodent pelleted or high-fat diet or in IVC with an irradiated diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linna E Srn
- Laboratory Animal Sciences, AstraZeneca AB, Gteborg, Sweden
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2
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Kärrberg L, Andersson L, Kastenmayer RJ, Ploj K. Refinement of habituation procedures in diet-induced obese mice. Lab Anim 2016; 50:397-9. [PMID: 26851248 DOI: 10.1177/0023677216631459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Orogastric gavage, while a common method for delivering experimental substances in mice, has been shown to induce stress. To minimize the associated stress with this procedure, sham gavage prior to the start of experiment is a common method for habiutating mice. We investigated whether handling and restraint could replace sham treatment in the acclimatization protocol. Mice were either undisturbed, hand-restrained for 10 s or sham-gavaged daily for six days prior to eight days of twice daily gavage. The results showed that repetitive restraint and gavage had no differences in body weight after eight days of treatment compared with the body weights at the start of treatment, whereas animals left undisturbed lost significant weight once treatment began. These data suggest that procedure refinement by replacing sham treatment with hand restraint is sufficient to acclimatize mice to the stress associated with gavage.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Kärrberg
- Drug Safety & Metabolism, Innovative Medicines and Early Development Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - L Andersson
- Drug Safety & Metabolism, Innovative Medicines and Early Development Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - R J Kastenmayer
- Drug Safety & Metabolism, Innovative Medicines and Early Development Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - K Ploj
- Drug Safety & Metabolism, Innovative Medicines and Early Development Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Mölndal, Sweden
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3
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Kastenmayer RJ, Maruri-Avidal L, Americo JL, Earl PL, Weisberg AS, Moss B. Elimination of A-type inclusion formation enhances cowpox virus replication in mice: implications for orthopoxvirus evolution. Virology 2014; 452-453:59-66. [PMID: 24606683 PMCID: PMC3962674 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2013.12.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2013] [Revised: 10/04/2013] [Accepted: 12/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Some orthopoxviruses including cowpox virus embed virus particles in dense bodies, comprised of the A-type inclusion (ATI) protein, which may provide long-term environmental protection. This strategy could be beneficial if the host population is sparse or spread is inefficient or indirect. However, the formation of ATI may be neutral or disadvantageous for orthopoxviruses that rely on direct respiratory spread. Disrupted ATI open reading frames in orthopoxviruses such as variola virus, the agent of smallpox, and monkeypox virus suggests that loss of this feature provided positive selection. To test this hypothesis, we constructed cowpox virus mutants with deletion of the ATI gene or another gene required for embedding virions. The ATI deletion mutant caused greater weight loss and higher replication in the respiratory tract than control viruses, supporting our hypothesis. Deletion of the gene for embedding virions had a lesser effect, possibly due to known additional functions of the encoded protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin J Kastenmayer
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 33 North Drive, MSC 3210, Bethesda, MD 20892-3210, USA
| | - Liliana Maruri-Avidal
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 33 North Drive, MSC 3210, Bethesda, MD 20892-3210, USA
| | - Jeffrey L Americo
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 33 North Drive, MSC 3210, Bethesda, MD 20892-3210, USA
| | - Patricia L Earl
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 33 North Drive, MSC 3210, Bethesda, MD 20892-3210, USA
| | - Andrea S Weisberg
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 33 North Drive, MSC 3210, Bethesda, MD 20892-3210, USA
| | - Bernard Moss
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 33 North Drive, MSC 3210, Bethesda, MD 20892-3210, USA.
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4
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Melamed S, Wyatt LS, Kastenmayer RJ, Moss B. Attenuation and immunogenicity of host-range extended modified vaccinia virus Ankara recombinants. Vaccine 2013; 31:4569-77. [PMID: 23928462 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2013.07.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2012] [Revised: 06/17/2013] [Accepted: 07/25/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) is being widely investigated as a safe smallpox vaccine and as an expression vector to produce vaccines against other infectious diseases and cancer. MVA was isolated following more than 500 passages in chick embryo fibroblasts and suffered several major deletions and numerous small mutations resulting in replication defects in human and most other mammalian cells as well as severe attenuation of pathogenicity. Due to the host range restriction, primary chick embryo fibroblasts are routinely used for production of MVA-based vaccines. While a replication defect undoubtedly contributes to safety of MVA, it is worth considering whether host range and attenuation are partially separable properties. Marker rescue transfection experiments resulted in the creation of recombinant MVAs with extended mammalian cell host range. Here, we characterize two host-range extended rMVAs and show that they (i) have acquired the ability to stably replicate in Vero cells, which are frequently used as a cell substrate for vaccine manufacture, (ii) are severely attenuated in immunocompetent and immunodeficient mouse strains following intranasal infection, (iii) are more pathogenic than MVA but less pathogenic than the ACAM2000 vaccine strain at high intracranial doses, (iv) do not form lesions upon tail scratch in mice in contrast to ACAM2000 and (v) induce protective humoral and cell-mediated immune responses similar to MVA. The extended host range of rMVAs may be useful for vaccine production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Melamed
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
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5
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Via LE, Weiner DM, Schimel D, Lin PL, Dayao E, Tankersley SL, Cai Y, Coleman MT, Tomko J, Paripati P, Orandle M, Kastenmayer RJ, Tartakovsky M, Rosenthal A, Portevin D, Eum SY, Lahouar S, Gagneux S, Young DB, Flynn JL, Barry CE. Differential virulence and disease progression following Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex infection of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). Infect Immun 2013; 81:2909-19. [PMID: 23716617 PMCID: PMC3719573 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00632-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2013] [Accepted: 05/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Existing small-animal models of tuberculosis (TB) rarely develop cavitary disease, limiting their value for assessing the biology and dynamics of this highly important feature of human disease. To develop a smaller primate model with pathology similar to that seen in humans, we experimentally infected the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) with diverse strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis of various pathogenic potentials. These included recent isolates of the modern Beijing lineage, the Euro-American X lineage, and M. africanum. All three strains produced fulminant disease in this animal with a spectrum of progression rates and clinical sequelae that could be monitored in real time using 2-deoxy-2-[(18)F]fluoro-d-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT). Lesion pathology at sacrifice revealed the entire spectrum of lesions observed in human TB patients. The three strains produced different rates of progression to disease, various extents of extrapulmonary dissemination, and various degrees of cavitation. The majority of live births in this species are twins, and comparison of results from siblings with different infecting strains allowed us to establish that the infection was highly reproducible and that the differential virulence of strains was not simply host variation. Quantitative assessment of disease burden by FDG-PET/CT provided an accurate reflection of the pathology findings at necropsy. These results suggest that the marmoset offers an attractive small-animal model of human disease that recapitulates both the complex pathology and spectrum of disease observed in humans infected with various M. tuberculosis strain clades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E. Via
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Danielle M. Weiner
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Daniel Schimel
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Philana Ling Lin
- Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Emmanuel Dayao
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Sarah L. Tankersley
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Ying Cai
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - M. Teresa Coleman
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jaime Tomko
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | | | | | - Michael Tartakovsky
- Office of Cyber Infrastructure and Computational Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Alexander Rosenthal
- Office of Cyber Infrastructure and Computational Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Damien Portevin
- MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Seok Yong Eum
- International Tuberculosis Research Center, Changwon, South Korea
| | | | - Sebastien Gagneux
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Douglas B. Young
- MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - JoAnne L. Flynn
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Clifton E. Barry
- Tuberculosis Research Section, Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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6
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Kastenmayer RJ, Moore RM, Bright AL, Torres-Cruz R, Elkins WR. Select agent and toxin regulations: beyond the eighth edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci 2012; 51:333-338. [PMID: 22776191 PMCID: PMC3358982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2011] [Revised: 08/17/2011] [Accepted: 12/22/2011] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
In the interval between the publication of the seventh and eighth editions of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Guide), much has changed with regard to the regulation and funding of highly pathogenic biologic agents and toxins (Select Agents). Funding of research involving highly pathogenic agents has increased dramatically during this time, thus increasing the demand for facilities capable of supporting this work. The eighth edition of the Guide briefly mentions Select Agents and provides a limited set of references. Here we provide some background information regarding the relevant laws and regulations, as well as an overview of the programmatic requirements pertaining to the use of Select Agents, with a focus on use in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin J Kastenmayer
- Comparative Medicine Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
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7
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Michaud CR, Ragland DR, Shea KI, Zerfas PM, Kastenmayer RJ, St Claire MC, Elkins WR, Gozalo AS. Spontaneous pulmonary alveolar proteinosis in captive "moustached tamarins" (Saguinus mystax). Vet Pathol 2011; 49:629-35. [PMID: 21734058 DOI: 10.1177/0300985811412619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is a rare human disease characterized by accumulation of surfactant in alveoli without generating an inflammatory response. Lung lesions resembling pulmonary alveolar proteinosis were observed in 7 adult tamarins (5 males and 2 females). Gross lesions were characterized by areas of discoloration, slight bulging over the lung parenchyma, and occasional consolidation. Histologic examination of tamarin lung samples revealed intra-alveolar accumulation of amorphous, amphophilic, periodic acid-Schiff-positive, finely granular to dense material. In some cases, type II pneumocyte hypertrophy and hyperplasia were observed with pleural and septal thickening and fibrosis. Large numbers of intra-alveolar foamy macrophages were noted surrounding and/or in the vicinity of the lesions. Immunohistochemical analysis of the lung lesions using polyclonal (surfactant proteins A, B, and C) and monoclonal (surfactant protein D) antibodies revealed the granular material to be composed largely of surfactant protein B, followed by surfactant protein A. Surfactant proteins C and D were present in lesser quantities, with the latter observed surrounding the lipoproteinaceous deposits. Transmission electron microscopy of the affected lungs showed numerous, irregularly shaped osmiophilic lamellar bodies in type II pneumocytes. The cytoplasm in alveolar macrophages was expanded, containing ingested surfactant with swollen mitochondria and rough endoplasmic reticulum. Thoracic radiographs, available in 1 animal, depicted the lesions as small multifocal opacities randomly distributed in cranial and diaphragmatic lung lobes. This is, to the authors' knowledge, the first report of spontaneous pulmonary alveolar proteinosis in nonhuman primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- C R Michaud
- Comparative Medicine Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
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8
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Kastenmayer RJ, Moak HB, Jeffress EJ, Elkins WR. Management and care of African dormice (Graphiurus kelleni). J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci 2010; 49:173-6. [PMID: 20353691 PMCID: PMC2846004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2009] [Revised: 10/02/2009] [Accepted: 10/12/2009] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
African dormice (Graphiurus spp.) are small nocturnal rodents that currently are uncommon in laboratory settings. Their use may increase as they have recently been shown to develop an infection with monkeypox virus and may prove to be a valuable animal model for infectious disease research. Because African dormice are not commercially available, an extensive breeding colony is required to produce the animals needed for research use. Husbandry modifications that increased the production of offspring were the use of a high-protein diet, increased cage enrichment, and decreased animal density. To optimize consumption of a high-protein diet, we tested the palatability of several high-protein foods in a series of preference trials. Dormice preferred wax worm larva, cottage cheese, roasted soy nuts, and canned chicken. Issues related to medical management of Graphiurus kelleni include potential complications from traumatic injury. The development of a program for the husbandry and care of African dormice at our institution typifies the experiences of many laboratory animal facilities that are asked to support the development of animal models using novel species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin J Kastenmayer
- National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Comparative Medicine Branch. Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Hannah B Moak
- National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Comparative Medicine Branch. Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Erin J Jeffress
- National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Comparative Medicine Branch. Bethesda, Maryland
| | - William R Elkins
- National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Comparative Medicine Branch. Bethesda, Maryland
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9
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Wolfram TJ, Leveque RM, Kastenmayer RJ, Mulks MH. Ohr, an in vivo-induced gene in Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, is located on a genomic island and requires glutathione-S-transferase for activity. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 57:59-68. [PMID: 19656190 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-695x.2009.00579.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is the causative agent of severe necrotizing pneumonia in swine. Previously, we identified the ohr gene encoding organic hydroperoxide reductase as specifically induced during infection of pigs, induced in vitro by organic peroxides but not other oxygen radicals, and present in A. pleuropneumoniae serotypes 1, 9 and 11 but not in other serotypes (Shea & Mulks, 2002). Through analysis of flanking genomic sequence, we identify a homologue of gst, which encodes glutathione-S-transferase, immediately downstream of ohr and demonstrate that ohr-gst confers low but uninducible Ohr activity to serotype 5. We further identify a genomic island of 9.3 kb, flanked by lysR and araC homologues, in serotypes 1, 9 and 11, which contains ohr and gst. In serotypes 2-8, 10 and 12, this region of the genome contains a 1.1-kb islet with a putative transposase flanked by lysR and araC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaddeus J Wolfram
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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10
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Kastenmayer RJ, Perdue KA, Elkins WR. Eradication of murine norovirus from a mouse barrier facility. J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci 2008; 47:26-30. [PMID: 18210995 PMCID: PMC2652621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2007] [Revised: 09/05/2007] [Accepted: 09/23/2007] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Murine norovirus (MNV) is a common viral infection of mice in many research facilities. MNV infects hematopoietic cells and alters their cellular morphology. Because of MNV's probable effects on the systemic immune response of infected mice the decision was made to eradicate the virus from 2 rooms containing infected animals in our vivarium. Two different eradication methods were selected. One room, in which most of the indirectly exposed sentinels had antibodies to MNV, was depopulated and thoroughly cleaned prior to repopulation. In the other room, in which only 13% of the sentinels had positive MNV titers, selective testing was used, and MNV-positive animals were removed. Data from surveillance of the sentinel mice exposed to dirty bedding indicate that the test-and-removal method was ineffective in eliminating MNV from the room, whereas sentinel mice in the room that underwent depopulation and cleaning prior to repopulation have not shown any evidence of MNV since December 2006.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin J Kastenmayer
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Comparative Medicine Branch, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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11
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Kastenmayer RJ, Perdue KA. Variation in organ volumes of matched BALB/c mice by microcomputed tomography analysis. J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci 2007; 46:7-12. [PMID: 17343346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
High-resolution microcomputed tomography technology has allowed researchers to use live mice to address questions that previously could be answered only at necropsy. Serial analyses of the same mouse allow tissue changes to be followed over time. The ability to follow a single mouse noninvasively can decrease the total number of mice required for the study. The magnitude of inter-mouse variation for matched mice undergoing microcomputed tomography has not been determined previously. We selected lung and contrast-enhanced stomach as tissues of standard size and anatomical structure that were hypothesized to vary minimally between mice. The analyses of the tissue volumes from matched mice showed considerable variation among mice, among multiple sequential scans of the same mouse, and even among multiple evaluations of the same scan. More variation occurred with repeated scans of the same mouse (intramouse variation) than between mice (intermouse variation). In addition, significant variation and obvious bias was detected between the 2 scan evaluators. These data suggest that to obtain the widest range of possible values, among which the true value would be found, multiple analyses of multiple scans of the same mouse must be performed by multiple scan evaluators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin J Kastenmayer
- National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Comparative Medicine Branch, Rockville, MD, USA.
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12
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Kastenmayer RJ, Fain MA, Perdue KA. A retrospective study of idiopathic ulcerative dermatitis in mice with a C57BL/6 background. J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci 2006; 45:8-12. [PMID: 17089984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Idiopathic ulcerative dermatitis is a well-recognized disease in C57BL mice and related strains. This disease manifests as a pruritic dermatitis with resulting self-mutilation, dermal ulceration, necrosis, and fibrosis. Ulcerative dermatitis has the ability to confound ongoing research by causing systemic pathologic changes, such as lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly. Although various treatments have been described, none has been curative consistently; therefore, minimizing negative effects on research through prevention of disease is ideal. To identify etiologic factors, we conducted a 2-y retrospective study of 1352 mice with a C57BL/6 genetic background; these mice demonstrated an overall prevalence of 4.1% and a seasonal effect with a peak incidence during midsummer. Corroborating previous studies, our study revealed a disease predilection for female mice. In contrast to prior reports, the disease prevalence was greatest in 10- to 16-mo-old mice. In addition, mice with a C57BL/6 background that were deficient in the gene for inducible nitric oxide synthase had a 50% disease incidence, suggesting a potential animal model for further characterizing the pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment of ulcerative dermatitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin J Kastenmayer
- National Institute of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rocville, Maryland, USA.
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