Langham Gregory L, Hoyt Robert F, Johnson Thomas E
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Scientific Resources Program, Animal Resources Branch, Lawrenceville, Georgia, USA.
J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci. 2006 Nov;45(6):44-8.
Reactions to allergens created by laboratory animals are among the most frequently encountered occupational illnesses associated with research animals. Personnel are exposed to these allergens through airborne particulate matter. Although the use of microisolation caging systems can reduce particulate matter concentrations in rooms housing mice, the operating parameters of ventilated caging systems vary extensively. We compared room air in mouse rooms containing 5 different types of caging: 1) individually ventilated caging under positive pressure with filtered intake air and exhaust air returned to the room (VCR+), 2) individually ventilated caging under negative pressure with exhaust air returned to the room (VCR-), 3) individually ventilated caging under positive pressure with exhaust air returned to the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, 4) individually ventilated caging under negative pressure with exhaust air returned to the HVAC system, and 5) static microisolation cages. We found that rooms under VCR conditions had fewer large particles than did those under other conditions, but the numbers of 0.3 microm particles did not differ significantly among systems. Static, positive or negative pressure applied to caging units as well as route of air exhaust were found to have little influence on the total number of particles in the atmosphere. Therefore, considering the heat load, odor, and overall particulate concentration in the room, placing individually ventilated caging under negative pressure with exhaust air returned to the HVAC system appears to be the optimal overall choice when using microisolation housing for rodents.
对实验动物产生的过敏原的反应是与实验动物相关的最常见职业疾病之一。工作人员通过空气中的颗粒物接触这些过敏原。虽然使用微隔离笼养系统可以降低饲养小鼠房间内的颗粒物浓度，但通风笼养系统的运行参数差异很大。我们比较了装有5种不同类型笼子的小鼠房内的室内空气：1）正压下的独立通风笼，进气过滤，排气返回房间（VCR+）；2）负压下的独立通风笼，排气返回房间（VCR-）；3）正压下的独立通风笼，排气返回供暖、通风和空调（HVAC）系统；4）负压下的独立通风笼，排气返回HVAC系统；5）静态微隔离笼。我们发现，VCR条件下的房间比其他条件下的房间大颗粒更少，但各系统中0.3微米颗粒的数量没有显著差异。发现施加在笼养单元上的静态正压或负压以及排气路径对大气中颗粒总数影响很小。因此，考虑到房间的热负荷、气味和总体颗粒物浓度，在使用微隔离笼饲养啮齿动物时，将独立通风笼置于负压下并将排气返回HVAC系统似乎是最佳的总体选择。
