RODENT QUARANTINE PROGRAMS - PURPOSE, PRINCIPLES, AND PRACTICE

In animal research, validity and reproducibility of data are criticall y influenced by the microbial status of the experimental animals, One of the most crucial aspects of assuring quality in animal research is providing research personnel with confidence that experimental results will not be invalidated due to interference caused by infectious dise ase. An effective quarantine program is essential to providing this as surance. Quarantine programs are generally instituted to prevent the i ntroduction of rodent pathogens into established specific-pathogen-fre e colonies in a facility, Therefore, programs should be designed to is olate newly acquired rodents until their health status can be determin ed and to maximize the probability that microorganisms of interest wil l be detected before the animals are introduced into (and thus, could potentially contaminate) established colonies. Important principles th at are critical to designing an effective quarantine program will be d iscussed here, as will the practical implementation of these principle s. Although quarantine programs may be costly in terms of time and eff ort, these costs must be balanced against the potential costs of disea se outbreaks that could invalidate long-term studies, alter normal bio logical baselines, and cause the loss or necessitate re derivation of rare or valuable strains of rodents. Reducing the incidence of quarant ine failures through appropriate program design and implementation hel ps to maintain the confidence of research personnel in the value of qu arantine programs and in our competence as specialists in laboratory a nimal management and as partners in the research process.