Pathogen screening in adult frozen feeder mice commonly reveals zoonotic rodent-adapted Cryptosporidium spp.

IF 0.6 4区农林科学 Q4 VETERINARY SCIENCES

Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-27 DOI:10.1053/j.jepm.2026.02.001

Hayley S. Stratton , Ashley E. Cave , Gregory A. Lewbart , Larry S. Christian , Daniel S. Dombrowski

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Feeder rodents include mice, rats, and occasionally other rodents that are used to feed animals under human care including reptiles, amphibians, birds of prey, and other zoological species. Feeder rodents have previously been associated with numerous outbreaks and isolated infections of zoonotic diseases.

Methods

Frozen adult feeder mice (Mus musculus) from several popular commercial sources were screened for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp., Hantaan virus, Leptospira spp., lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, Salmonella spp., and Streptobacillus moniliformis via polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR was performed on pooled fecal samples for Cryptosporidium spp. and on pooled oral swabs and fecal samples for the remaining pathogens. Samples were pooled from multiple mice, but sources were tested independently.

Results

None of the pooled samples tested positive for Hantaan virus, Leptospira spp., lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, Salmonella spp. or Streptobacillus moniliformis; however, Cryptosporidium spp. were detected in pooled fecal samples from a majority of rodent sources (8/10, 80.0%). The majority of the positive isolates (6/8; 75%) were identified as Cryptosporidium tyzzeri, a rodent-adapted Cryptosporidium spp. with zoonotic potential.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

Results of this pilot study suggest that rodent-associated Cryptosporidium spp. including C. tyzzeri are common in frozen adult feeder mice; however, the viability and infectivity of these organisms following freezing is unknown. Due to the infectious and zoonotic potential of these pathogens, pet owners and animal caretakers should take precautions to prevent disease transmission when handling frozen feeder rodents.

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成年冷冻喂养小鼠的病原体筛查通常显示人畜共患啮齿动物适应隐孢子虫。

食性啮齿类动物包括小鼠、大鼠，偶尔还有其他啮齿类动物，它们被用来喂养人类照料的动物，包括爬行动物、两栖动物、猛禽和其他动物物种。食性啮齿动物以前与许多人畜共患疾病的暴发和孤立感染有关。方法采用聚合酶链反应（PCR）技术对几种常用商业来源的成年冷冻饲养小鼠（小家鼠）进行隐孢子虫、汉滩病毒、钩端螺旋体、淋巴细胞性绒毛膜脑膜炎病毒、沙门菌和念珠状链杆菌的检测。对收集的粪便样本进行隐孢子虫的PCR检测，对收集的口腔拭子和粪便样本进行剩余病原体的PCR检测。样本来自多只小鼠，但来源是独立测试的。结果汉滩病毒、钩端螺旋体、淋巴细胞性脉络丛脑膜炎病毒、沙门菌、念珠链杆菌检测均为阴性；然而，在大多数啮齿动物源的粪便样本中检测到隐孢子虫（8/10,80.0%）。大多数阳性分离株（6/8;75%）被鉴定为tyzzeri隐孢子虫，一种具有人畜共患潜力的啮齿动物适应隐孢子虫。结论和临床意义本初步研究结果提示，包括tyzzeri隐孢子虫在内的啮齿动物相关隐孢子虫在冷冻成年喂养小鼠中常见；然而，冷冻后这些生物的生存能力和传染性尚不清楚。由于这些病原体具有传染性和人畜共患病的潜力，宠物主人和动物饲养员在处理冷冻喂养啮齿动物时应采取预防措施，防止疾病传播。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine 农林科学-兽医学

CiteScore

1.20

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

60 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine provides clinicians with a convenient, comprehensive, "must have" resource to enhance and elevate their expertise with exotic pet medicine. Each issue contains wide ranging peer-reviewed articles that cover many of the current and novel topics important to clinicians caring for exotic pets. Diagnostic challenges, consensus articles and selected review articles are also included to help keep veterinarians up to date on issues affecting their practice. In addition, the Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine serves as the official publication of both the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians (AEMV) and the European Association of Avian Veterinarians (EAAV). The Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine is the most complete resource for practitioners who treat exotic pets.