PinWorm Control Program

This is a team effort - and if one team member fails, the control program fails.

Graphic Chart of Treatment Program

Move all animals in suspects into individual static MI cages. Determine how many cages. Then, autoclave the rest and racks.

All should be housed in negative pressure rooms.

If all these suspect animals are maintained behind true barrier conditions, we should all be very concerned about the degree of spread. The spreading of pin worm eggs, while not a real pathogen, represents major flaws in our containment (if we are trying to maintain barriers). The SPF barrier is intended to keep unwanted ¹germs® out. Using proper technique at the bench (change station, hood) does work. Each investigator controls their own destiny! So, if one investigator is bothered by a pathogen, other investigators are not bothered Ò as long as they are following the same protocol for opening their cages.

If they are not maintained behind true barriers, then we can be less concerned about the SPF management system, and stay more focused on the treatment and control.

If more than one investigator is involved, decide if any common factor, vector, fomite.

If multiple investigators are affected with no common factor, vector or fomite, then suspect the autoclaving system, the change station, and all those using it, including animal lab technicians.

Need to set up ¹milk-line® cage changing order on remaining clean ventilated racks. Change stations must be de-conned according to the SOPs for entering the MI cage.

Use medicated (treated) feed for all animals. Use 7 day on and 7 day off for 6 consecutive treatments.

Change entire cage and autoclave before cleaning.

De-con the rooms and procedure room with foam (quat) once a week. Life cycle of worm is 15 days. Eggs remain infective in environment for weeks. Repeated de-conning all rooms over this period should eliminate the worm.