Rodent Health Screening

Rodent colonies at JHU are continually monitored for intercurrent rodent diseases through our quarterly sentinel screening program.

Most overt pathogens are excluded and some areas are also maintained free of Helicobacter spp. Opportunistic organisms, such as Pasteurella pneumotropica and mouse norovirus are not excluded.  If you wish to assure that your mice or rats are free of opportunists in addition to excluded pathogens, please contact Dr. Jason Villano [email protected].  One opportunist, in particular, Corynebacterium bovis, has been a source of problems with immune deficient mice, most noticeably nude mice where it causes flaky skin with a cornmeal appearance.  Other immune deficient mice are also affected but the flaky skin is often obscured by fur.  It is important that you notify us if you detect this problem: it will likely affect research results, it may cause illness or death, and it contaminates the environment thus increasing the risk to other immune deficient mice.

Mice from the major US vendors are free of all major pathogens and most opportunists, however, they may be contaminated with Staphylococcus spp. Staphylococci are commonly spread between humans and mice and it is generally not practical to attempt to exclude them under routine husbandry conditions.

Rodent Technical Support

RAR technicians are skilled in colony management and research procedures.  They can help with routine colony maintenance or more specialized procedures on a fee-for-service basis. Examples of supported services include: 

  • Rodent colony management and pedigree maintenance
  • Breeding, weaning and euthanasia
  • Identification by ear tag, ear punch or microchip
  • Sample collection (tails, ear punch, buccal swab, blood)
  • Genotyping service (sample collection and outsourced genotyping by qPCR)
  • Tail vein injections
  • Other as requested

Click here to submit a Rodent Technical Support request

Please contact Dr. Jason Villano [email protected] regarding availability or for more information. 

Other Rodent Resources

Genotyping Through Transnetyx

RAR has partnered with Transnetyx  to provide easy access to outsourced genotyping services via a kiosk located outside the MRB rodent facility. Transnetyx offers set up of the genetic testing plus the first 25 samples at no charge and specializes in difficult to genotype strains.  Please follow the ACUC Guidelines  for procedures to obtain samples for genotyping. Note that only a few mm is required for genotyping, general anesthesia is required for tail biopsies in mice aged >21d, and local anesthetics are recommended for all ages.

Rodent Anesthesia Machine Rental

Research Animal Resources maintains several rodent isoflurane anesthesia machines for use in our core rodent facilities, including MRB, SPH and Ross. One machine is dedicated for use only in MRB High Risk Return and may not be used in other areas.  You may sign up to use these machines free of charge. Although use of the machines is free, to avoid cross-contamination, you must purchase your own breathing circuits, nosecones, scavenge canisters, etc. Please contact us for a list of suggested equipment.

Training is required prior to use and will take about 30-45 minutes. To sign up for training, contact Rodent Resources.

Machines are available Monday through Friday 7AM – 1PM and 1:30PM – 6AM (next day), except Friday when the machine must be returned by 4 PM. To reserve a machine, email  Rodent Resources with your name, PI, date, morning or afternoon reservation time, and suite number/letter. You must come to Ross 459 just prior to your reservation to pick up the key for the machine.

After use, the machine must be returned to its original area and locked. The key must then be promptly returned to Ross 459 for the next lab to use.

*A fee will be charged if the machine or key is not returned on time or if the machine is damaged due to misuse or neglect.*