TY - CONF

T1 - Syphacia obvelata and Radfordia affinis infection in mice: Treatment strategy, implementation of a new health monitoring system and establishment of improved quarantine procedures

AU - Harslund, Jakob le Fèvre

AU - Mandrupsen, Karina

AU - Bollen, Peter

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - Short title: Pinworm and fur mite infection in mice; treatment and preventive strategies. Title: Syphacia obvelata and Radfordia affinis infection in mice; treatment strategy, implementation of a new health monitoring system and establishment of improved quarantine procedures. Authors: Jakob le Fèvre Harslund, Karina Mandrupsen & Peter Bollen, Biomedical Laboratory, University of Southern Denmark, DK-5000 Odense C, Denmark. Introduction: In 2014 we experienced an infection with pinworms. Subsequent health monitoring revealed positive findings of Radfordia and Tritrichomonas. Activities were initiated in an attempt to eliminate the infections and to prevent future similar events: -Fenbandazole treatment in drinking water (0.3 mg/ml, 5 weeks)-Selamectin treatment topically (1.2 mg/animal, 3 weeks)-Establishment of a new quarantine facility-Revision of staff access-Change from conventional serology to PCR based monitoringMaterials & methods:Drinking water containing 0.3 mg/ml fenbendazole (Panacur® Vet 10% Oral Suspension) was made by mixing 0.75 ml of Panacur® Vet with drinking water in 250 ml bottles. Precipitation in drinking water was minimized by handling the bottles on regular basis. Mice were treated for one week followed by one week without fenbendazole. This was repeated 5 times consecutively. Topical treatment of mice with selamectin (Stronghold® Vet, selamectin 120 mg/ml) was performed by dripping 0.01 ml of Stronghold stock solution in the neck using a micropipette (1). Every second week all mice more than 8-10 days old were treated once. Treatment was repeated 3 times on consecutively weeks.Syphacia obvelata infection was initially diagnosed by perianal tape tests from clinically infected mice and subsequently also by PCR on feces samples. Radfordia affinis infection was initially diagnosed by microscopy of fur/skin smears from clinically affected mice demonstrating live fur mites. Subsequently, fur mite infection was diagnosed by PCR analysis on fur swabs and swabs from exhaust manifolds of IVC (2). Results: Following fenbendazole treatment of mice all subsequent screenings of animals by perianal tape tests and PCR analysis on feces samples have been tested negative for pinworms.Treatment of mice with selamectin has led to complete eradication of fur mites in the facility, and all subsequent screenings by microscopy and PCR on fur swaps and from exhaust manifolds of IVC have been negative.Treatment strategies for eliminating Tritrichomonas muris have not yet been established, and the protozoa is diagnosed on irregular basis by PCR and microscopy on intestinal smears. Discussion and conclusion: Previously new animals were accepted after evaluation of a recent health monitoring report only. Due to an increase in mouse population, with a growth from an average population density of 2.594 mice in 2008 to 4957 mice in 2012, the number of imports and staff movements has increased drastically, resulting in a higher risk for acquiring infections. The infections with pinworms and fur mites were successfully treated, and successive health monitoring has demonstrated continuous absence of these pathogens. Tritrichomonas muris is to a wide extent regarded as a commensal in the intestinal lumen with minimal side effects on mice (3), and so far, the infection has not been related to clinical or pathological changes in mice in the facility.

AB - Short title: Pinworm and fur mite infection in mice; treatment and preventive strategies. Title: Syphacia obvelata and Radfordia affinis infection in mice; treatment strategy, implementation of a new health monitoring system and establishment of improved quarantine procedures. Authors: Jakob le Fèvre Harslund, Karina Mandrupsen & Peter Bollen, Biomedical Laboratory, University of Southern Denmark, DK-5000 Odense C, Denmark. Introduction: In 2014 we experienced an infection with pinworms. Subsequent health monitoring revealed positive findings of Radfordia and Tritrichomonas. Activities were initiated in an attempt to eliminate the infections and to prevent future similar events: -Fenbandazole treatment in drinking water (0.3 mg/ml, 5 weeks)-Selamectin treatment topically (1.2 mg/animal, 3 weeks)-Establishment of a new quarantine facility-Revision of staff access-Change from conventional serology to PCR based monitoringMaterials & methods:Drinking water containing 0.3 mg/ml fenbendazole (Panacur® Vet 10% Oral Suspension) was made by mixing 0.75 ml of Panacur® Vet with drinking water in 250 ml bottles. Precipitation in drinking water was minimized by handling the bottles on regular basis. Mice were treated for one week followed by one week without fenbendazole. This was repeated 5 times consecutively. Topical treatment of mice with selamectin (Stronghold® Vet, selamectin 120 mg/ml) was performed by dripping 0.01 ml of Stronghold stock solution in the neck using a micropipette (1). Every second week all mice more than 8-10 days old were treated once. Treatment was repeated 3 times on consecutively weeks.Syphacia obvelata infection was initially diagnosed by perianal tape tests from clinically infected mice and subsequently also by PCR on feces samples. Radfordia affinis infection was initially diagnosed by microscopy of fur/skin smears from clinically affected mice demonstrating live fur mites. Subsequently, fur mite infection was diagnosed by PCR analysis on fur swabs and swabs from exhaust manifolds of IVC (2). Results: Following fenbendazole treatment of mice all subsequent screenings of animals by perianal tape tests and PCR analysis on feces samples have been tested negative for pinworms.Treatment of mice with selamectin has led to complete eradication of fur mites in the facility, and all subsequent screenings by microscopy and PCR on fur swaps and from exhaust manifolds of IVC have been negative.Treatment strategies for eliminating Tritrichomonas muris have not yet been established, and the protozoa is diagnosed on irregular basis by PCR and microscopy on intestinal smears. Discussion and conclusion: Previously new animals were accepted after evaluation of a recent health monitoring report only. Due to an increase in mouse population, with a growth from an average population density of 2.594 mice in 2008 to 4957 mice in 2012, the number of imports and staff movements has increased drastically, resulting in a higher risk for acquiring infections. The infections with pinworms and fur mites were successfully treated, and successive health monitoring has demonstrated continuous absence of these pathogens. Tritrichomonas muris is to a wide extent regarded as a commensal in the intestinal lumen with minimal side effects on mice (3), and so far, the infection has not been related to clinical or pathological changes in mice in the facility.

M3 - Poster

T2 - FELASA meeting

Y2 - 13 June 2016 through 16 June 2016

ER -