PRODUCTION OF MURINE DIAGNOSTIC REFERENCE REAGENTS

MICROBIOLOGICALLY-DEFINED MICE AND RATS ARE REQUIRED FOR SOPHISTICATED BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH. SEROLOGICAL PROCEDURES ARE THE MOST FEASIBLE AND ECONOMICAL MEANS TO MONITOR THE HEALTH STATUS OF LABORATORY ANIMALS. A MAJOR PROBLEM ARISESWHEN THE RESULTS OF VARIOUS TEST-KITS AND IN-HOUSE TESTING LABORATORIES (GOVERNMENT, INDUSTRY, AND ACADEMIA) ARE COMPARED. THE LACK OF STANDARDIZATION OF TEST PROCEDURES AND THE UNAVAILABILITY OF REFERENCE REAGENTS (QUALITY CONTROL) RESULT IN POOR COMPARABILITY AND ENGENDER A LACK OFCONFIDENCE IN LABORATORY ANIMAL HEALTH MONITORING PROGRAMS. MICROBIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATES, INC. PROPOSES TO PRODUCE MONOSPECIFIC ANTISERA TO FOUR MURINE INFECTIOUS AGENTS; MOUSE HEPATITIS VIRUS, SENDAI VIRUS, RAT CORONAVIRUS/ SIALODACRYOADENTIS VIRUS, AND MYCOPLOASMA PULMONIS. THESE WILL BE USED AS REFERENCE REAGENTS IN THE STANDARDIZATION OFSERODIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES (COMPLEMENT FIXATION, HEMAGGLUTINATION INHIBITION, ENZYME-LINKED IMMUNOSORBENT ASSAY, AND IMMUNOFLUORESCENT ANTIBODY). KEY FEATURES OF THIS PROPOSAL ARE THE OVERSIGHT, ANALYSIS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS DURING ALL PHASES OF THE PROJECT BY AN INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMPOSED OF EXPERTS IN THE FIELDS OF MICROBIOLOGY, IMMUNOLOGY, AND LABORATORY ANIMAL MEDICINE. THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE WILL BE PUBLICIZED AND THE REFERENCE REAGENTS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH COMMUNITY AT REASONABLE COST.