ASC: Pathogen screening of mice from non-approved vendors

What’s changing?

The BU Animal Science Center (ASC) recently updated our biosecurity program to allow the importation of mice from institutions positive for previously excluded pathogens. As a result, the ASC is introducing testing for mouse norovirus (MNV) and Helicobacter upon receipt of new colonies from non-approved vendors, which includes all academic institutions. This testing is required before the imported mice can be released into 670/W9 (clean MNV and Helicobacter negative) barrier facilities.

What will the new importation process look like?

Going forward, when researchers choose to import colonies from non-approved vendors, we will test for MNV and Helicobacter upon import (day one), and assign colonies to the appropriate importation room—positive or negative—to ensure they are relocated and/or rederived if necessary, in a timely manner. Additionally, each strain imported will be treated as a separate cohort for testing.

Should the import exceed 10 animals, we would then collect up to 10 samples from random animals from each cage and submit a pool sample to keep the costs low for the investigator.

Why are we making this change?

The ASC is continually reviewing internal practices and procedures to improve our program of animal care. In the fall of 2018, we announced updates to the biosecurity program, which permitted the importation and quarantine of mice received from institutions that are positive for two previously excluded pathogens: MNV and Helicobacter. While this change provided important flexibility to our researchers, it also demanded that we take additional precautions to protect BU’s research mice and ensure that our resident animals remain free of these agents.

This change generated the need for separate quarantine space for mice destined for 670/W9 barrier or W8 conventional facilities. As mice with different health statuses are not housed in the same room, we will screen mice on the day of receipt to ensure colony relocation and/or rederivation is performed in a timely manner.

How will this affect the cost per import?

The projected additional cost per import is $109.69 for up to 10 cages per pooled sample set. All testing fees (see below) are on top of the quarantine base charges: $862.85 for 1-6 cages delivered, or $1,283.65 for 7-18 cages delivered.

Should the import involve multiple strains, each strain will be treated separately, with the understanding this will incur an additional Quarantine Base Charge and $109.69 for MNV and Helicobacter PRIA per strain. This newly incurred cost will be the responsibility of the receiving laboratory.

EXAMPLE #1: Fees for a lab importing six cages of mice of two separate strains, from a non-approved vendor. Because the import reflects two strains, the lab will be charged for two separate MNV/Helicobacter tests.

*Included in Quarantine Base Charge

EXAMPLE #2: Fees for a lab importing eight cages of mice, of one strain, from a non-approved vendor. Because the import reflects one strain, the lab will only be charged once for the MNV/Helicobacter test; but the quarantine base charge is higher than in the last example because the lab is importing between seven and 18 cages of mice.

*Included in Quarantine Base Charge

Questions?

Submit questions, comments, or concerns to the Animal Science Center at buasc@bu.edu.

We appreciate the effort your research teams put in to support the BU biosecurity program and thank you for your continued support.

Reviewed and approved by Rao Varada, BU ASC Director.