Which method is commonly used to monitor for mouse hepatitis virus in a colony?

Which method is commonly used to monitor for mouse hepatitis virus in a colony?

• A. Transfer of soiled bedding to sentinel cages
• B. Direct blood testing of all mice
• C. Routine oral swabbing of all cages
• D. Monthly necropsy of a subset of animals

Answer: (A)

Sentinel monitoring with transfer of soiled bedding is the standard way to screen a mouse colony for Hepatitis virus. The virus is shed in feces and can spread via contaminated bedding. By housing sentinel mice in separate cages and regularly exchanging them with bedding from the colony, you expose sentinels to whatever pathogens the colony is shedding without handling every mouse. After a defined exposure period, the sentinels are tested—often by serology or molecular methods—for evidence of infection. This approach is cost-effective, minimizes animal handling and stress, and provides a practical way to monitor colony health for the entire population. Other methods are less practical for routine surveillance. Testing every mouse directly is expensive and labor-intensive, and may not be feasible in large colonies. Routine oral swabbing of all cages is also impractical and can miss intermittent shedding. Monthly necropsy of a subset of animals is invasive and may not reliably detect infections in a timely manner.

Sentinel monitoring with transfer of soiled bedding is the standard way to screen a mouse colony for Hepatitis virus. The virus is shed in feces and can spread via contaminated bedding. By housing sentinel mice in separate cages and regularly exchanging them with bedding from the colony, you expose sentinels to whatever pathogens the colony is shedding without handling every mouse. After a defined exposure period, the sentinels are tested—often by serology or molecular methods—for evidence of infection. This approach is cost-effective, minimizes animal handling and stress, and provides a practical way to monitor colony health for the entire population.

Other methods are less practical for routine surveillance. Testing every mouse directly is expensive and labor-intensive, and may not be feasible in large colonies. Routine oral swabbing of all cages is also impractical and can miss intermittent shedding. Monthly necropsy of a subset of animals is invasive and may not reliably detect infections in a timely manner.