Comparative Medicine
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Item Open Access Comparison of identifications of human and animal source gram-negative bacteria by API 20E and crystal E/NF systems.(East Carolina University, 1997-01) Peele, D.; Bradfield, J.; Pryor, W.; Vore, S.This study compared the abilities of API 20E and BBL Crystal E/NF identification systems to correctly identify human and animal source gram-negative bacilli of known identifications, as provided by the American Type Culture Collection, Rockville, Md., and the Research Diagnostic and Investigative Laboratory, Columbia, Mo. Also addressed in the comparison are the cost, the relative ease of performing and interpreting the tests, and the potential problems surrounding each system. The two systems were comparable in terms of their respective costs and abilities to identify the bacteria tested. The cost per test was calculated as $4.69 for API 20E and $4.62 for Crystal E/NF. Of the animal source bacteria tested, Crystal E/NF identified 68% to the correct genus and species and 90% to the correct genus or group. The remaining 10% of the animal source bacteria were unidentified by Crystal. Human source bacteria tested by BBL Crystal E/NF gave very similar results: 47% correctly identified to genus and species, 90% correctly identified to genus or group, 7% unidentified, and 3% incorrectly identified. API 20E results were as follows for animal source bacteria: 53% correctly identified to genus and species, 76% correctly identified to genus or group, and 24% unidentified; the results for human source bacteria were as follows: 40% correctly identified to genus and species, 83% correctly identified to genus or group, and 17% unidentified. API 20E has a slightly more labor-intensive protocol for setting up the test than BBL Crystal E/NF but produced fewer questionable results. Originally published Journal of Clinical Microbiology, Vol. 35, No. 1, Jan 1997Item Open Access Effects of Cage-Change Frequency and Bedding Volume on Mice and Their Microenvironment(East Carolina University, 2009-11) Rosenbaum, Matthew D.; VandeWoude, Susan; Johnson, Thomas E.The frequency at which mouse cages are changed has important implications for the animals, animal care personnel, and facility managers. The objective of this study was to determine how bedding volume and the interval between changes affect microenvironmental conditions, health, and behavior of mice housed in individually ventilated cages (IVC). A total of 15 cages (n = 5 cages per bedding volume) housing ICR female mice (n = 5 animals per cage) were monitored for 17 d. Parameters monitored included clinical evaluation of each animal, appearance of the cage, fecal corticosterone levels, bedding weight, and mouse mass. Atmospheric analysis was performed daily to determine intracage ammonia cage humidity and temperature on a daily basis. Mice were videotaped for 10 min on days 1, 8, and 15, and videos were analyzed for abnormal behaviors. On day 17, 1 mouse from each cage was euthanized, and bronchoalveolar lavage was performed. Statistical differences in parameters were most often noted between low- and high-volume bedding groups. Correlation between visual appearance and actual intracage environmental conditions and mouse health and behavior at specific time points indicated cages that appear dirty to most observers did not have measurably adverse effects on the animals for any of the many parameters evaluated in this study. This study demonstrated that a 2-wk interval between cage changes for ICR female mice housed in IVC caging (with approximately 90 air changes per hour) and aspen chip bedding did not significantly affect measures of animal well-being in this study. This lack of effect occurred despite the appearance of excessive soiling by the 2-wk time point. Originally published Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, Vol. 48, No. 6, Nov. 2009