Policies> Rat Specific Pathogen Free Policy
1 PURPOSE
This policy is intended to describe which rat pathogens must be tested for in animals
being introduced to ACS colonies. Animal Care Services (ACS) strives to provide the
highest standards of rodent health care for research investigators. The term specific
pathogen free (SPF) is defined by what pathogens are excluded. The individual pathogens
actually excluded are commonly limited by the health status of the rats available from the
commercial vendors. As commercial vendor colonies eliminate additional agents, the
criteria at the University of Florida (UF) will also be modified. Listed below are the
agents specifically excluded from the UF rat colonies currently.
2 SCOPE
This policy applies to all rats being introduced to an ACS facility.
3 POLICY
In addition to commercial vendor and ACS sentinel animal pathogen testing, all animals
that Principal Investigators (PI) intend to have brought to the UF must be shown through
adequate testing to be free of the pathogens listed below. PIs must coordinate all animal “importations” from other institutions through the ACS. ACS veterinary involvementwill help to ensure that excluded pathogens are not inadvertently introduced to the UF
colonies.
3.1 Pathogens excluded
3.1.1 VIRUSES
Coronavirus (SDAV/RCV)
Hanta (Hantaan) Virus (HTN)
Kilham Rat Virus (KRV, RV)
Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus (LCMV)
Mouse Adenovirus
Pneumonia Virus of Mice (PVM)
Rat Minute Virus (RMV)
Rat Parvovirus
Reovirus Type 3
Sendai Virus
Theiller’s Murine Encephalomyelitis Virus (GDVII) (TMEV)
Toolan’s H-1 Virus (Parvo)
3.1.2 BACTERIA AND FUNGI
CAR Bacillus (Cilia-associated respiratory bacillus)
Citrobacter rodentium
Clostridium piliforme
Animal Care Services
PO Box 100006
Gainesville, Florida 32610
Corynebacterium kutcheri
Mycoplasma pulmonis
Pasteurella pneumotropica *
Salmonella spp.
Streptobacillus moniliformis
3.1.3 PARASITES
Encephalitozoon cuniculi
Fur mites
Pinworms
