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Volume 20, Number 2—February 2014
Dispatch

Trace-Forward Investigation of Mice in Response to Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus Outbreak

Laura EdisonComments to Author , Barbara Knust, Bret Petersen, Julie Gabel, Craig Manning, Cherie Drenzek, Ute Ströher, Pierre E. Rollin, Douglas Thoroughman, Stuart T. Nichol, and the Multistate LCMV Outbreak Working Group
Author affiliations: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA (L. Edison, B. Knust, B. Petersen, C. Manning, U. Ströeher, P.E. Rollin, D. Thoroughman, S.T. Nichol); Georgia Department of Public Health, Atlanta (L. Edison, J. Gabel, C. Drenzek); Kentucky Department for Public Health, Lexington, Kentucky, USA (D. Thoroughman)

Main Article

Table

Recommendations for the prevention and control of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus among rodents and persons who handle them

Preventing lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) from being introduced into a rodent breeding colony
• All rodents introduced into the breeding colony facility should come from a facility with a biosecurity and monitoring program for LCMV in place.
• Contact between wild mice and breeding colony animals should be prevented through exclusion and by trapping of escaped and feral mice; rodent traps should be placed at the perimeter of the facility, in rodent rooms, and in areas where feed is stored.
• Any feral rodents or colony rodents that escape should be removed and euthanized.
• Testing for LCMV should be included in the routine health monitoring for the colony.
Preventing the spread of LCMV within a rodent breeding colony
• Movement of animals between rooms should be restricted; replacement breeding animals remain within the room they were born, and animals only leave rooms to be removed from the facility.
• Equipment used in handling used cages or bedding should not be shared between rooms or used to handle clean cages or bedding, and such equipment should be disinfected regularly.
• Employees should wear waterproof washable or disposable footwear that can be cleaned between rooms, and they should wear designated coveralls or laboratory coats for each building or room. Footwear should be disinfected before exit and entry into each room.
• After LCMV is discovered, all rodents in the affected rooms or colony should be euthanized.
Preventing infection or the spread of infection at the rodent distributor or pet store
• Rodents should be purchased only from suppliers with biosecurity and monitoring programs.
• Comingling of rodents from different shipments and between rodent species should be prevented.
• Contact between wild mice and captive rodents should be prevented through exclusion and by trapping of escaped rodents and wild mice; rodent traps should be placed at the perimeter of the facility, in rodent rooms, and in areas where feed is stored.
• Equipment used in handling used cages or bedding should not be shared between shipments of rodents or used to handle clean cages or bedding, and such equipment should be disinfected regularly.
Preventing infection among persons who handle rodents
• Employees who handle rodents should be educated about the risk for LCMV, and educational material should be distributed at the point of purchase in pet stores.
• Gloves should be used during handling of live or frozen rodents, used bedding, and dirty cages; hands should be promptly washed when gloves are removed.
• Pregnant and immunocompromised persons should be advised not to directly handle rodents or clean cages.
• Employees should not eat, drink, or smoke in rodent rooms.
Handling rodents with known LCMV infection
• A respirator with a filter of >N95 rating, filtering face piece, elastomeric half or full mask, or powered air-purifying respirator should be worn; respiratory capacity testing and fit testing are necessary for all persons wearing such gear.
• Gloves, waterproof and washable footwear, and coveralls should be worn; disinfectant should be used to clean the external surfaces of the protective gear, and workers should wash their hands after removing gloves.

Main Article

1Additional members of the Multistate LCMV Outbreak Working Group who contributed data are listed at the end of this article.

Page created: January 17, 2014
Page updated: January 17, 2014
Page reviewed: January 17, 2014
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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