Protecting the NCI Mouse Resource:

Melody Roelke-Parker, DVMLaboratory Animal Sciences Program

October 2015

NCI Mouse 101

Only limited pathogens are allowed

and Rigorous importation quarantine

Sentinel surveillance

Strict guidelines for order of facility visits

Biosecurity is in ALL of our hands

“NIH”

Extremely Valuable resource

~$23 per mouse$118 per cage

$4,800 half Rack (Red Cards)

C57BL/6J mice

Extremely Valuable resource

C57BL/6J mice

Bldg 10/CRC

$600,000 for

Athymic nudes

10 racks/room$160,000 for B6

Excluded pathogens

Viruses

Bacteria

Parasites

Imported Mice must be pathogen free

Source of miceSource of mice

Source of mice

APPROVED SOURCES

Germantown production facility ONLY

Case-by-case review

Source of mice

APPROVED SOURCES

Ordering mice• Different for NCI facilities and centralized

facilities managed by DVR• All orders placed by facility staff• List the strain or stock, sex, number, age,

delivery date, facility• Must include PI, current ASP# and Center #• Confirmatory email will be sent to ordering

investigator• Please be sure that name, contact info, and

ASP # is accurate.

APPROVED SOURCES

Source of mice

Receiving and Quarantine Program at NCI-Frederick

Receiving Mice• Approved sources are the Charles River Labs,

Jax, & Taconic (Germantown only)• Receiving and Quarantine Program at NCI-

Frederick for most other sources• Quarantine length 3.5-7.5 weeks• Details and online forms at LASP website

http://www.ncifcrf.gov/rtp/lasp/intra/randq/default.asp• Mice may be moved by LASP staff between

compatible facilities• Health status is first reviewed by Facility Vet• Recommended acclimatization: 5-7 days

Excluded pathogens at NIHHealth status varies with the facility

On the NIH Campus people and mice are allowed to move between facilities with similar health status –

BUT MUST NEVER transit between a poorer health status and a higher one.

No Pathogens NIAID &Human Genome

10

50

Excluded pathogens at NIHHealth status varies with the facility

Norovirus LASP37

12th

10

41

DVR

Excluded pathogens at NIHHealth status varies with the facility

Helicobacter

10A 13th

DVR

LASP 13th

Excluded pathogens at NIHHealth status varies with the facility

Parvovirus

10A

DVR

Excluded pathogens at NIHHealth status varies with the facility

Pinworms & fur mites

DVR

Excluded pathogens at NIHHealth status varies with the facility

Norovirus

Helicobacter

Parvovirus

Pinworms & fur mites

No Pathogens NIAID &Human Genome

LASP

DVR

Excluded pathogens at NIHHealth status varies with the facility

Norovirus

Helicobacter

No Pathogens

LASP10A 13th

DVR

10

Parvovirus

Excluded pathogens at NIHHealth status varies with the facility

Norovirus

Helicobacter

No Pathogens

LASP

DVR

37

Parvovirus

Excluded pathogens at NIHHealth status varies with the facility

Excluded pathogens at FrederickHealth status varies with the facility

NCI Frederick Campus

Receiving & Quarantine

Norovirus

Helicobacter

No PathogensRepository, & Transgenic Mouse Model Laboratory

Only 2 are positive

Dr. Braden-Weiss can provide

Frederick facility status

Most are positive

Tumor Cell Line Testing Requirements

• PCR-based testing has replaced MAP-testing to a large extent (MTBM - Molecular testing of Biological Materials)

• Instructions at LASP AHDL web page• All untested cell lines if they have been

passaged through rodents outside of the NCI animal program or exposed to rodent serum or if their history is unknown should be submitted

• Human-derived cells

Tissue culture & reagents potentially infected with rodent

pathogensMolecular Testing of Biological Materials

(MTBM)

Taking mice to the Laboratory

• Special routes and elevators, esp. in CRC

• Should be rapid and direct

• Provide food, bedding, fresh water source

• Practice containment and minimize stress to animals

• Unless the contrary is approved in the ASP, animals must be euthanized within 12 hours or less

Custom Diet Formulations

• Rodent Feed producersZeigler, Purina, Harlan, Research DietsBio-servOthers

• Must be sterile by gamma-irradiation or autoclavable

• Consultation with a diet formulation specialist & facility veterinarian is advisable for new test compounds

Sentinel Monitoring Program

Sentinels

Every week, sentinels are exposed to

dirty bedding from all

cages on rack

Sentinel Monitoring Program

Sentinels

Every 6 weeks, each sentinel cage is tested for a

panel of excluded

pathogens

Sentinel Monitoring Program

Sentinels

Twice a year, a necropsy

with cultures is performed

Excluded pathogensHealth status varies with the facility

Consequences of contamination..

• Alteration of experimental measures, tumor growth rates, immunity, etc.

• Quarantine will limit access to animals• Movement of animals ceases• Procedure rooms, MIF, etc. may not be used• Expensive testing ; expensive extra PPE• Cull and slowly repopulate with clean stocks• Reduced ability to share mice with colleagues• Research progress and productivity may be

severely affected

SHIPPING MICE ON NIH CAMPUS• ON NIH: File out an Internal NIH/IC/

Rodent Transfer request.

• Must contact receiving facility veterinarian and facility manager to obtain shipping authorization

• Some facilities may required special testing, others will not accept NCI mice.

• Most IC’s will accept LASP animals

• LASP requires all Non-Approved NIH animals to go to R&Q

• ALL NON-Approved sources MUST go through Receiving and quarantine in Frederick (This includes ANY non-LASP facility at NIH)

• Fill out on-line importation request

• https://ncifrederick.cancer.gov/rtp/lasp/intra/randq/forms/import_nonapproved.asp

• Must obtain Complete information from sending facility – including health documents and contact information

• Contact Sandra Warfield with any questions

IMPORTATION OF MICE

• What to do if your mice test positive for Excluded agents while in Quarantine?

• Best for LASP facility veterinarians to evaluate health report of sending institution BEFORE mice are shipped. Then you are forewarned of probably Positive results.

IMPORTATION OF MICE

• If Positive – must rederive before you can import into LASP facilities – OR

• Send to the ACRF 13th floor or a DVR facility of appropriate health status

IMPORTATION OF MICE

Very Challenging – Esp. International shipments

• Every Country is different – US Domestic shipments are relatively uncomplicated

• Must obtain complete contact and address information from receiving institution facility –

EXPORTATION OF MICE

• Requirement for MTA (Material Transfer Agreement)

• Set up Accounts with FedEx Express and

EXPORTATION OF MICE

• Contact Jodi Penn or Dr. Melody Roelke-Parker for assistance with all outgoing NIH shipments.

• Ship only young, healthy animals• You are ultimately responsible for the mice

selected for shipping.

Make sure that the ID and SEX is correct, and that the cages are properly marked

EXPORTATION OF MICE

START EARLY – CAN TAKE 1 OR MORE MONTHS

Questions?