TASQ uses the SPF facility to house all pseudopregnant females carrying microinjected embryos and resulting progeny. Routine screening for specific pathogens using bacteriology and virology screenings ensuring the health status of the housed mice. This is not only important for immuno-compromised mice but also for exerimental control.

SPF screens Quarterly for:

• Murine Cytomegalovirus (MCMV)
• Mouse Hepatitis Virus (MHV)
• Minute Virus of Mice and Mouse Parvovirus (PARV)
• Pnuemonia Virus of Mice (PVM)
• Epidemic Diarrhoea of Infant Mice (ROTA)
• Theiler's Murine Encephalomyelitis Virus (TMEV)

Yearly SPF screens for the 6 above and:

• Ectromelia Virus (ECT)
• Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus (LCM)
• Mycolplasma pulmonis (PULM)
• Reovirus Type 3 (REO)
• Sendai Virus (SEND)
• Clostridium piliformis (TYZ)
• Adenovirus
• Mouse rota virus
• Full bacteriology, parasitology and histopathology

Strict barrier procedures ensures the clean health status of the SPF animals:

• All animals are housed in individual micro-isolator cages and only opened in laminar flow hoods.
• Staff spray gloved hands with disinfectant in between each individual cage that is opened.
• Anyone entering the facility must have a 10 minute shower with disinfectant, and wear sterile protective gear (including gloves, surgical cap, face mask, autoclaved overalls and footwear) once inside the barrier.
• All items going into SPF are autoclaved (eg feed, bedding, cages), those not able to withstand autoclaving are immersed in a disinfectant.

The SPF facility also allows the accomodation of specific needs, including feeding or medication of the transgenic offspring, attended by a qualified and experienced team.