Many ordinary people don’t really care whether a mouse will get sick or not. But, in research facilities where the mouse is a valued resident, any mouse sickness is alarming. The mouse is used in experiments that are ultimately aimed at improving the health of humans. Thus keeping the mouse healthy is a priority in research laboratories.
Yet, the mouse, within such seemingly sterile environment, may still contract diseases. And among these contagious diseases, the third most prevalent is the “mouse parvovirus”. The first and second are pinworms and MHV, respectively.
Like all other parvoviruses, the mouse parvovirus is resilient and can survive in any climate or environment. At the same time, the diagnosis of the presence of this parvovirus in the body of the mouse will take a relatively long time. Sometimes, the positive detection of parvovirus infection may take about six weeks.
Studies about how this certain parvovirus attacks the mouse show that it disrupts the function of the immune system of the mouse. Since the immune system is supposed to be the body system that will protect the mouse from many diseases, the parvovirus infection is considered a deadly disease.
For mice that have a fairly good working immune system (called immuno-competent), the parvovirus infection may last for six months. And for mice that have weakened immune system (called immuno-suppressed) the infection will last longer. There is no safe stage for the mouse against the parvovirus infection. That is, the chances of an adult mouse to contract the parvovirus is equal to that of the weanling and neonatal mouse.
To control the spread of the mouse parvovirus and of other diseases, research laboratories have identified sources of pathogens and have established measures on controlling such sources. Some of these sources and disease-control measures are the following:
- Infected tissues, solutions, and equipment inside the laboratory - All these materials and tools found inside the research laboratory must be subject to a screening of pathological (disease-causing) microorganisms.
- Wild rodents or new rodents - To prevent wild rodents from entering the lab, there must be an adequate security facility, aside from implementing vermin control and sanitation. If new mice will be added to the lab, these must be quarantined and be subject to an examination.
- From the environment - The parvovirus is especially tough pathogens. Thus, the research laboratory, and the whole building must be regularly sanitized.