DEVELOPMENT OF A REAL-TIME PCR ASSAY FOR MOUSE FUR MITES AND EVALUATION OF PILOT STUDY
Author/Creator
Date
2019-03-22Type of Work
67 pagesText
Thesis
Department
Biomedial ScienceProgram
Hood College Graduate School Biomedical Science ProgramAbstract
Mouse fur mites Myobia musculi and Myocoptes musculinus are common parasites
of mice and present a unique challenge for exclusion from laboratory animal facilities. In
this study, a real-time PCR test was developed to detect both mouse fur mites using distinct
dye in a single reaction well. Confirmatory endpoint PCR tests were also designed, to
confirm equivocal results. The assays were then tested during a pilot study, where known
positive animals were used to evaluate the accuracy of environmental targets for screening.
In all cages were mice were positive for the fur mite real-time PCR, environmental targets
were also positive within 10 days of placement in a new, clean cage. This study shows that
the real-time PCR assay and environmental targets are an effective combination for
screening of mouse fur mites in laboratory animal facilities.