Sero-monitoring of viral pathogens affecting laboratory animals in a breeding colony

Abstract

Health monitoring is an integral part in the management of laboratory animal breeding colonies. In this preliminary study, 66 samples from rats and 72 samples from mice were screened for antibody against 6 and 5 viral pathogens respectively. In case of Guinea Pig, 14 samples were screened for 3 viral pathogens. Among the pathogens examined in mice, incidence of Mouse Hepatitis Virus (94.44%) was very high followed by Minute Virus of Mice (20.83%) and in rats incidence of Sendai Virus (12.12%) was the highest followed by Sialodacryoadenitis Virus (7.58%) and Pneumonia Virus of Mice (6.06%). Guinea pig samples analysed were all negative for all the three pathogens. Overall health status of rat and guinea pig colonies is better than that of mice colony, due to the high prevalence of Mouse Hepatitis Virus and Minute Virus of Mice and their contagious nature, hence routine serological screening with stringent control measures are essential.