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At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Patterns of porphyrin accumulation in response to xenobiotics. Parallels between results in chick embryo and rodents.

Our objective was to determine whether patterns of porphyrin accumulation produced by chemicals in chick embryo hepatocyte culture would indicate which enzyme of heme biosynthesis was inhibited. The ferrochelatase-inhibitory potency and porphyrin patterns produced by DDC, TTMS, and their analogues were studied. The protoporphyrin:coproporphyrin ratio observed was found to correlate with ferrochelatase-inhibitory activity. The results obtained in chick embryo with TTMS and DDC parallel those found in rodents. Griseofulvin has been shown to lower ferrochelatase activity and to cause the accumulation of protoporphyrin in rodent liver. In chick embryo liver cell culture, however, coproporphyrin, uroporphyrin, and heptacarboxylic acid porphyrin accumulate and ferrochelatase activity is not lowered. Uroporphyrin, heptacarboxylic acid porphyrin, and coproporphyrin are the major porphyrins to accumulate in response to PAHs (for example, 3,3',4,4'-TCBP in chick embryo liver cell culture). This may be explained by inhibition of UROD, which has been observed in chick embryo and rodent liver. Some chemicals, such as phenobarbital and nifedipine, cause the accumulation of these porphyrins in chick embryo liver cell culture, and this is explained by inhibition of UROD. These chemicals have not been reported to interfere with heme biosynthesis in the intact chick embryo or rodents; possibly protective mechanisms that are not available in the cell culture system are operative in the intact animal. It was concluded that porphyrin patterns may serve as a guide to which enzyme of heme biosynthesis is inhibited in chick embryo liver cell culture. The results obtained in the culture system with certain chemicals, such as DDC and TTMS analogues and PAHs, correspond with results in rodents. In other cases, such as with griseofulvin, the results do not correspond.

5-Aminolevulinate Synthetase↗
PubMed1989

Innervation of the incisors and periodontal ligament in several rodents: an immunohistochemical study of neurofilament protein and glia-specific S-100 protein.

The present immunohistochemical study by use of antisera against neurofilament protein (NFP) and S-100 protein dealt with the innervation of the upper incisors and periodontal ligament in five species of rodents including the guinea pig, hamster, Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguicularis), mouse and squirrel (Tamias sibiricus). The innervation pattern of the periodontal ligament and dental pulp in the incisors of five rodents was fundamentally identical to that in the rat, which we have previously demonstrated by the same method. The NFP-positive Ruffini-like corpuscles were concentrated in the middle region of the lingual periodontal ligament in all the species examined, suggesting that this particular arrangement of Ruffini-like corpuscles, possibly stretch receptors, was essential to the rodent incisor. The labial periodontal ligament, on the other hand, contained less numerous NFP-positive nerves, these terminating among collagen fibers as free endings. The gerbil and squirrel in particular possessed only a few nerve fibers in the labial periodontal ligament. It was thus presumed that the labial periodontal ligament might be less significant as a mechanoreceptive site than the lingual periodontal ligament. The NFP-positive pulpal nerves, beaded or smooth in shape, ran parallel to the tooth axis, but never extended to the odontoblastic layer; no subodontoblastic plexus was found in the incisors of any of the rodents. S-100-immunopositive nervous elements were distributed in the periodontal ligament and dental pulp of all the rodent species examined, showing a distribution pattern similar to the NFP-positive nerves. Only in the squirrel did odontoblasts show an intense S-100 immunoreactivity.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Analysis of human and rodent beta 3-adrenergic receptor messenger ribonucleic acids.

Recent evidence indicates that the human and rodent beta 3-receptor genes differ with respect to their intron/exon organization and putative regulatory elements in the proximal promotor regions. The present work examined the molecular basis for heterogeneity among human and rodent beta 3-receptor messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and mRNA transcription start site selection with gene-derived human and rodent probes. This analysis indicates that the mRNA size heterogeneity of the human beta 3-receptor mRNA seen in Northern blots results from the use of alternative polyadenylation signals. In contrast, mRNA heterogeneity of the rat beta 3-receptor mRNA is due to the use of widely separated promoters. Analysis of mRNA transcription sites within the proximal promoters of the human and rat genes indicates that multiple homologous start sites are used. However, the pattern of transcription initiation appears to be both species and tissue specific. In rat adipose tissues where abundant expression of the beta 3 gene occurs, most transcripts began at -161 relative to translation initiation ATG, whereas minor transcription began around -123 and -109. Interestingly, virtually all transcripts were found to begin at the -123 and -109 sites in the rat gastric fundus, which expresses only low levels of beta 3-receptor mRNA. In human brown fat and neuroepithelioma cells, the vast majority (> 80%) of beta 3 transcripts began at multiple sites around -130. Exposure of murine 3T3-F442A adipocytes to isoproterenol, 8-bromo-cAMP, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, or dexamethasone dramatically reduced murine beta 3-receptor mRNA levels. In contrast to mouse adipocytes, 8-bromo-cAMP increased human beta 3-receptor mRNA levels in SK-N-MC neuroepithelioma cells, whereas isoproterenol, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, and dexamethasone were without effect. These data identify important differences in the structure and regulation of the human and rodent beta 3-receptor genes and suggest that the data obtained in rodent models may not be directly applicable to the regulation of the human gene.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

A comparison of a forced-air warming system to traditional thermal support for rodent microenvironments.

Thermal homeostasis is important for the well-being of laboratory rodents during experimental investigations involving chemical restraint. Anaesthesia-induced hypothermia may alter physiological processes, prolong recovery times, or result in death. Therefore, active warming may be needed to prevent excess heat loss from the rodent to the environment. Three methods of active warming were evaluated in typical rodent procedural areas and recovery cages: a forced-air warming system, infra-red heat emitter and circulating-water blanket. The first experiment involved recording the temperature of the immediate environment of the three devices, with and/or without the accompanying plastic drape, to simulate a surgical situation. In the second experiment, temperatures were recorded within cages that simulated a recovery situation with the same modalities. Forced-air warmer blankets (FAWB) were either wrapped around or placed underneath standard polycarbonate rodent cages and the results were compared with cage temperatures warmed by the heat emitter and circulating-water blanket. Temperatures were recorded at 0, 20, 40, and 60 min for each warming treatment, to determine mean temperature (+/- SEM) and the magnitude of increase (+/- SEM) between 0 and 60 min. All three devices showed an increase in temperature, but the FAWB with a plastic drape heated the procedural area microenvironment (Experiment 1) quickly and to a final temperature of 38.6 degrees C (101.5 degrees F) at 60 min, compared with 25 degrees C (77 degrees F) for the heat emitter and 28 degrees C (82.4 degrees F) for the circulating-water blanket. The magnitude of increase was significantly different for each treatment, but the FAWB with a plastic drape climbed 16.3 degrees C (29.3 degrees F) in 60 min. In Experiment 2, the FAWB wrapped around a cage, covered with a plastic drape, heated recovery cages to 32.5 degrees C (90.5 degrees F) compared to the heat emitter 26.4 degrees C (79.5 degrees F) and circulating-water blanket with drape 26.3 degrees C (79.3 degrees F). The magnitude of increase in the microenvironmental temperature was significantly higher for the FAWB, with the plastic drape wrapped around the recovery cage, compared to the other treatments. In both experiments, forced-air warming proved superior to the more traditional thermal support treatments in heating the microenvironments quickly and to an optimum ambient temperature. Forced-air warming devices should be considered when thermal support is required for rodent procedural areas and recovery cages.

Anesthesia↗
PubMed1991

Predicting the carcinogenicity of chemicals in humans from rodent bioassay data.

Regulatory agencies currently rely on rodent carcinogenicity bioassay data to predict whether or not a given chemical poses a carcinogenic threat to humans. We argue that it is always more useful to know a chemical's carcinogenic potency (with confidence limits) than to be able to say only qualitatively that it has been found to be a carcinogen. In a typical bioassay, a chemical is administered to groups of 50 to 100 rodents at the highest feasible level (the maximum tolerated dose) and rarely at less than 1/10 this dose in order to maximize the statistical significance of any increase in tumors that might result. Recently, much experimental work has focused on the mechanisms by which site-specific toxicity arising from chronic administration at the maximum tolerated dose may lead to carcinogenicity. Extrapolation of high-dose results to low doses does not take into consideration the possibility of a threshold dose, below which the carcinogenic potency is much lower or even zero. Threshold dose-response phenomena may be much more relevant to the etiology of cancer in the rodent bioassays than was earlier realized; if so, there is an even greater need for establishing dose-dependent potency estimates. The emphasis of this review is on the interspecies comparison of high-dose potencies. The qualitative and quantitative comparison of carcinogenicities between mice and rats and between rodents and humans is reviewed and discussed. We conclude that there is a good qualitative (yes/no) correlation for both the rat/mouse and the rodent/human comparison. There is also a good correlation of the carcinogenic potencies between rats and mice, and the upper limits on potencies in humans are consistent with rodent potencies for those chemicals for which human exposure data are available. For the rodent/human comparison, the best estimate of the interspecies potency factor is lognormally distributed around 1 when the potencies in both species are measured in units of (mg/kg-day)-1.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Prevalence of borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infection among rodents and host-seeking ticks in South Carolina.

Tissues of rodents and host-seeking adult ticks collected in the Piedmont, Sandhills, Coastal Plain, and Coastal Zone of South Carolina were cultured in attempts to isolate Borrelia burgdorferi (Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt & Brenner), the etiologic agent of Lyme disease. An exploratory, tree-based statistical analysis was used to identify ecological variables that were associated with spirochete infection among rodents and ticks. Spirochetes were isolated from tissues of 71 rodents: 22 (69%) of 32 eastern woodrats, 39 (53%) of 74 cotton mice, and 11(25%) of 44 hispid cotton rats. Rodent infection prevalences were significantly higher in the Coastal Zone than in other regions. Spirochetes were also cultured from 31 (2.6%) of 1,193 questing ticks. Prevalence of spirochetes in Ixodes affinis Neumann (19/74, 26%) was significantly higher than in I. scapularis Say (12/864, 1.3%) and other species (0/255) of ticks tested. In addition, two (9%) of 23 adult I. minor Neumann removed from woodrats contained spirochetes. Isolates from rodents and ticks were analyzed immunologically by indirect immunofluorescence and Western blots, and further characterized by polymerase chain reaction assays and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. All were determined to be B. burgdorferi sensu lato. Results of this study confirmed that B. burgdorferi is endemic in South Carolina, and that enzootic transmission cycles exist at foci in the Coastal Zone. These findings add additional evidence that I. affinis and I. minor are potentially significant maintenance vectors of the spirochete.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. in Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks collected from vegetation and small rodents in recreational areas of the city of Poznań.

During 1998-1999, Ixodes ricinus (L.) populations were investigated in three different biotopes (deciduous, mixed, coniferous forest) situated in popular recreational areas in Poznań, Poland. In total, 1,123 questing ticks (1,002 nymphs, 69 males, 52 females) were collected by flagging vegetation. Additionally, in 1998 between May and September small rodents were trapped and inspected for feeding ticks. Altogether, 213 rodents of three species: Apodemus agrarius Pall., A. flavicollis Melchior, Clethrionomys glareolus Schreber were captured. Of 323 engorged ticks, 304 were larvae and 19 nymphs. All ticks collected from vegetation, as well as from rodents were examined for the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigenwalt & Brenner s.l. spirochetes by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using PAB 1B29. The seasonal pattern of activity of questing I. ricinus was always bimodal (May/June and August/September). The most abundant tick population occurred in the deciduous forest. The total infection rate in questing ticks was 16.2%. Differences in mean infection prevalence of host-seeking ticks between three biotopes each year were not significant. On average more larvae parasitized on the genus of Apodemus than on C. glareolus. 17.8% of larvae and 31.6% of nymphs fed on rodents harbored spirochetes. The three rodent species contributed to a different degree in to transmission of the pathogen to subadult stages. Approximately 27% of larvae infested on A. agrarius, 22% on C. glareolus, and only 4.2% on A. flavicollis contained spirochetes. The results suggest that the prevalence of A. agrarius and C. glareolus in disturbed urban forests used for leisure activities seems to be crucial for the maintenance of B. burgdorferi s.l. in I. ricinus populations.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha: role in rodent liver cancer and species differences.

Peroxisome proliferators (PPs) are chemicals of industrial and pharmaceutical importance that elicit liver carcinogenesis by a non-genotoxic mechanism. One of the intriguing properties of PPs is that the pleiotropic effects of these compounds (including increased DNA synthesis and peroxisome proliferation) are seen in rats and mice only, but not humans. It is important to determine the risks to humans of environmental and therapeutic exposure to these compounds by understanding the mechanisms of non-genotoxic hepatocarcinogenesis in rodents. To understand this apparent lack of human susceptibility, attention has focused on the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha), which appears to mediate the effects of PPs in rodents. It is also known to mediate the hypolipidaemic effects that fibrate drugs exert on humans with elevated plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Human PPARalphas share many functional characteristics with the rodent receptors, in that they can be transcriptionally activated by PPs and regulate specific gene expression. However, one key difference is that PPARalpha is less abundant in human than in rodent liver, which has led to the suggestion that species differences result from quantitative differences in gene expression. In this review we describe the effects of PPs and what is known of the molecular mechanisms of action and species differences with respect to rodents and man. Attention will be given to differences in the amounts of PPARalpha between species as well as the 'qualitative' aspects of PPARalpha-mediated gene regulation which might also explain the activation of some genes and not of others in human liver by PPs.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Perturbation of rodent hepatocyte growth control by nongenotoxic hepatocarcinogens: mechanisms and lack of relevance for human health (review).

During the development of new industrial and pharmaceutical chemicals, it is necessary to determine whether they are potential carcinogens. However, there are no short-term tests available for nongenotoxic carcinogens that do not damage DNA yet cause tumours in rodent bioassays. The peroxisome proliferators (PPs) constitute a diverse class of nongenotoxic carcinogens that include chemicals of therapeutic, industrial and environmental importance such as hypolipidaemic fibrate drugs, clingwrap/medical tubing plasticizers and certain pesticides and solvents. PPs induce DNA synthesis and suppress apoptosis in rat and mouse hepatocytes, leading to tumour formation. In addition to altering hepatocyte growth and survival, PPs cause peroxisome proliferation and the induction of enzymes of the beta-oxidation pathway. PPs mediate their biological responses in rodents via activation of the nuclear hormone receptor PPARalpha (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha) which regulates expression of the genes associated with response to PPs. The mechanisms through which normally quiescent hepatocytes are recruited into the cell cycle currently remain obscure. However, it is probable that expression of hepatic cytokines by hepatic macrophages (Kupffer cells) may be involved. In common with other classes of nongenotoxic carcinogen, there are remarkable species differences in response to PPs; humans respond to the fibrate hypolipidaemic PPs via a reduction in serum cholesterol but appear refractory to the adverse effects of PPs such as hepatic peroxisome proliferation, DNA synthesis and tumour formation. The molecular basis of the observed species differences in response to PPs is unclear at present, but recent data support a quantitative hypothesis wherein PPARalpha expression levels are sufficient in humans to mediate hypolipidaemia, but too low for transcriptional regulation of the full battery of genes associated with the adverse effects seen in rodents such as peroxisome proliferation, liver enlargement and tumours. A more detailed understanding of the mechanisms through which these chemicals cause tumours in rodents and how humans may differ will assist in extrapolation of rodent data to human risk assessment.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Observations on natural and laboratory infection of rodents with the etiologic agent of Korean hemorrhagic fever.

Studies were conducted to define the natural host range of the Korean hemorrhagic fever (KHF) agent in South Korea, and to identify colonized rodents susceptible to this infection. Eight species of field rodents were captured in areas of Korea endemic for KHF and their tissues were examined by immunofluorescence for the presence of KHF antigen. One hundred and fourteen of 817 Apodemus agrarius coreae captured between 1974 and 1978 had one or more positive organs. No positive organ was found in 239 rodents of the other seven species examined. Two hundred and thirty-eight specimens of Apodemus agrarius jejuensis captured on Jeju Island, an area thought to be free of disease, were also negative. Attempted laboratory infection of nine species of rodents captured in the field but maintained in the laboratory was successful only in the two subspecies of Apodemus. The 46 specimens of A. a. jejunesis tested in this manner were all uniformly susceptible to infection as determined by immunofluorescence. Serial sacrifice of experimentally infected A. a. jejuensis revealed viremia of short duration terminating on day 10 postinfection. In contrast, other tissues of this animal, including lung, kidney, liver and parotid gland were positive on day 10 and remained so through the 100-day observation period. When 12 species of colonized laboratory rodents were inoculated with KHF agent five were found to develop KHF antibody by indirect immunofluorescence and two, Calomys callosus and Apodemus agrarious ningpoensis, developed detectable KHF antigen in their tissues.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Field studies on the epidemiology of Venezuelan hemorrhagic fever: implication of the cotton rat Sigmodon alstoni as the probable rodent reservoir.

During February 1992, field studies on the epidemiology of Venezuelan hemorrhagic fever (VHF) were carried out in a rural area of Portuguesa State in central Venezuela. The objective of this work was to determine the prevalence of infection with Guanarito virus, the etiologic agent of VHF, among wild rodents and humans living within an endemic focus of the disease. A total of 234 rodents, representing nine different species, were collected and their spleens were cultured for virus. Thirty-one Guanarito virus isolates were made from two rodent species: 19 from 40 Sigmodon alstoni and 12 from 106 Zygodontomys brevicauda. Guanarito virus antibody rates among these two species were 5.1% and 15.0%, respectively. Nine of the 12 Z. brevicauda that yielded virus from their spleens also had Guanarito virus antibodies in their sera. In contrast, none of the 19 Guanarito virus-positive S. alstoni had antibodies to the virus. These data suggest that S. alstoni usually develops a persistent nonimmunizing infection with Guanarito virus, while Z. brevicauda develops an immunizing infection. Based on knowledge of the behavior of other human pathogenic arenaviruses, these results imply that S. alstoni is the principal rodent reservoir of Guanarito virus in nature. To determine the prevalence of Guanarito virus infection among humans in the same region, 195 people living near one of the rodent collecting sites were bled and their sera were tested for antibodies to the virus. Five individuals (2.6%) had Guanarito virus antibodies; all were adults, and two had been diagnosed previously as having VHF.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Distribution, diversity, and host specificity of Bartonella in rodents from the Southeastern United States.

A number of Bartonella isolates were obtained from seven species of rodents sampled from 12 geographic sites representing the major biotic communities of the southeastern United States. Bartonella were isolated from the blood of 42.2% of 279 tested rodents. The highest prevalence of infection typically occurred among the most commonly captured species in the rodent community. Four phylogenetic groups, uniting 14 genotypic variants of Bartonella, were identified by sequence analysis of the citrate synthase gene. The level of sequence homology between genotypic groups varied from 88.8% to 96.4%, and the degree of homology among variants within groups was > or = 97%. Cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) harbored up to three phylogenetic groups of Bartonella at a single site, and Bartonella of two phylogenetic groups were isolated from a single rodent. All the Bartonella isolated from three species of Peromyscus clustered in a single distinct phylogenetic group, suggesting some host specificity may occur. Mouse ascitic fluids produced in BALB/c mice inoculated with Bartonella of three phylogenetic groups demonstrated high indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) titers to homologous antigens. However, use of eight Bartonella antigens in an IFA test with sera from 394 wild-caught rodents resulted in either little or extremely low titers of antibody.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Geographical distribution of rodent-associated hantaviruses in Texas.

The purpose of this study was to increase our knowledge of the geographic distribution and natural host range of hantaviruses in Texas, southeastern New Mexico, and Mexico. Blood samples from 3,225 wild rodents, representing 34 species, were tested for hantavirus antibody (IgG), using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Hantavirus antibody was found in one or more rodents from each of 13 counties in Texas, Otero County in southeastern New Mexico, and Mexico State (central Mexico). The 133 antibody-positive rodents included seven Peromyscus species (P. attwateri, P. boylii, P. hylocetes, P. leucopus, P. maniculatis, P. melanotis, and P. pectoralis), Sigmodon hispidus, Oryzomys palustris, two Reithrodontomys species (R. fulvescens and R. megalotis), Neotoma albigula, and Perognathus merriami. This study provides further evidence that rodent-associated hantaviruses are geographically widely distributed in Texas. The discovery of antibody in P. hylocetes and P. melanotis is evidence that peromyscine rodents in Mexico are naturally associated with viruses belonging to the genus Hantavirus.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Extraintestinal migration of Pharyngostomum cordatum metacercariae in experimental rodents.

Extraintestinal migration patterns of Pharyngostomum cordatum (Digenea: Neodiplostomidae) were studied in experimental rodents such as mice, rats, and hamsters. When metacercariae isolated from grass snakes were infected orally to rodents, they penetrated the intestinal wall at days 2-3 post-infection (p.i.) and were discovered mainly in the diaphragm, intercostal muscles, and vital organ such as the lungs at days 7-28 p.i., without morphological changes. Interestingly, from several rodents which died suddenly at days 2-9 p.i., small to considerable numbers of metacercariae were found, not only in the lungs, but also in the heart and brain. Within the tissues, worms were freely motile until day 7 p.i., but later they were surrounded by host cells, and finally tissue cysts were formed. When metacercariae harvested from the snakes and intercostal muscles of rodents were infected orally to cats, they developed into adult flukes in the small intestine. The results show that P. cordatum undergoes considerable extraintestinal migration including the vital organs of its rodent hosts.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

[Investigation on Schistosoma japonicum infection in rodents in Yunnan Province].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of rodents in the transmission of schistosomiasis in endemic areas in Yunnan Province. METHODS: Kato-Katz method was used to study the infection rate of rodents, humans and domestic animals. RESULTS: The infection rate was 0.9% (32/3,411) for rodents, 15.6% (461/2,964) for humans, and 9.6% (239/2,482), for domestic animals. The EPG(mean) was 5.8 for rodents, 1.8 for humans, 0.1 for cattle, 0.1 for horses and 0.02 for pigs. CONCLUSION: The rodents played a minor role in the transmission of schistosomiasis in the plateau area of Yunnan province.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Contribution of rodents to postmortem artifacts of bone and soft tissue.

Postmortem disturbance of human remains by rodents extends beyond production of characteristic tooth mark artifacts in dry bones. Three case examples are presented that demonstrate a spectrum of rodent damage to dry and fresh bone and to fresh and mummified soft tissue. In one case, human remains are used for nesting purposes. Rodents are also noted to be vectors of bone transport. Rodent activities can affect bone recovery, human identification, and interpretation of artifacts to bone and soft tissue. Guidelines to differentiate soft tissue artifacts caused by rodents and carnivores are suggested.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Outbreak of multidrug-resistant Salmonella typhimurium associated with rodents purchased at retail pet stores--United States, December 2003-October 2004.

During 2004, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Public Health Laboratory notified CDC about the isolation of multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium from ill hamsters from a Minnesota pet distributor. This report describes two of the first identified human cases associated with this outbreak, summarizes the multistate investigation of human S. Typhimurium infections associated with exposure to rodents (e.g., hamsters, mice, and rats) purchased at pet stores, and highlights methods for reducing Salmonella transmission from pet rodents to their owners. This is the first documented salmonellosis outbreak associated with pet rodents. Findings demonstrate that the handling of pet rodents is a potential health risk, especially for children. Public health practitioners should consider pet rodents a potential source of salmonellosis.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Report of the ACLAM Task Force on Rodent Euthanasia.

The ACLAM Task Force on Rodent Euthanasia was appointed by President Lynn Anderson in 2002 in response to growing concerns and controversy regarding techniques that were commonly used for rodent euthanasia. Three issues were targeted as the focus of the report: euthanasia of fetal and neonatal rodents, the use of carbon dioxide for rodent euthanasia, and the impact of euthanasia techniques on data. The charge to the Task Force was to create a document that summarized in a scholarly and comprehensive manner all available data-based literature relevant to these topics, to assess the scientific merit of the design and conclusions of those studies, and to compile valid information into a concise and cohesive document that could serve as a resource for diplomates, other veterinarians, IACUC members, regulatory bodies, and research scientists. The Task Force has fulfilled this charge in an exemplary manner. During 2004-2005, the ACLAM officers and Board of Directors (BOD) reviewed and critiqued 2 draft versions of the report, and suggestions for change were incorporated into the document presented here. In July 2005, the BOD voted to forego the usual process of distributing the document to theACLAM membership for comment before release based on 2 considerations. First, the literature relevant to rodent euthanasia is continually expanding. As such, at each revision, the Task Force was compelled to incorporate new data and citations. Their consensus view was that new data would continue to emerge, and the document would require continual revision as the review process continued. Related to that, the 2nd consideration of the BOD was that information already accumulated would be of immediate utility to the stake-holders listed above. In lieu of a pre-publication comment period, the BOD and the Task Force instead invite all diplomates, as well as other parties, to comment via email or mail to the BOD liaison for this project, who will compile and maintain all remarks. After an interval deemed appropriate by the ACLAM President, a 2nd Task Force will be appointed to update and modify the Report. Comments will be considered at that time. I want to personally thank all members of the Task Force for their conscientious and comprehensive efforts in compiling this information. They have created a valuable and informative synthesis that should serve as a resource to the community for years to come.

Advisory Committees↗