April 15, 2016 EDIM Update Communication

From:    Heather Gipson, Assistant Vice President for Research Compliance

RE:          Mouse Rotavirus (EDIM) Update Communication

Date:     April 15, 2016

To:          Faculty and Research Staff

To keep researchers apprised of developments in the process of identifying and eliminating the EDIM detected in animal facilities, the Office of Animal Resources will be providing regular updates and communications to all faculty and Research Staff Members that utilize rodents in research. Below please find the latest information regarding the EDIM outbreak.

Diagnostic Testing Update:

1.       Samples from all sentinel animals in all non-quarantined rooms in the affected facilities have been submitted

• Any positive serology tests will result in immediate quarantine of the affected room(s) and researchers will be notified 

Investigator Guidance:

2.       Quarantine Room Populations: 

• Most of the quarantined housing rooms have not had a significant reduction in inventory due to continued breeding/weaning and limited depopulation, which impacts all researchers housed in those rooms
• In order to reduce the spread of infection we are asking all researchers to:
  • Depopulate all commercially available animals in quarantined housing rooms
  • Depopulate retired breeders and all animals which cannot be used for research purposes or genetic recovery

3.       Room Order Clarifications:

• No staff should enter any non-quarantined housing or staging space after entry to a quarantined housing room or procedure area
• This includes:
  • clean caging or feed staging areas
  • euthanasia rooms
  • non-quarantined procedure areas
• This requires appropriate planning to bring all needed materials to the quarantined room prior to entry; remind all staff to plan their quarantined procedures in advance
• Researchers who have animals housed in more than one quarantined housing space may enter a second quarantined room if needed; however, attention should be given to collection of clean materials prior to first entry to a quarantined space

4.     Decontamination Reminder:

• Successful quarantine and elimination of this virus requires conscientious observation of decontamination and hygiene procedures by all researcher staff, in addition to OAR personnel
• Any lab personnel unsure of the proper procedure for entering, exiting, or working within the quarantined animal rooms should contact the facility supervisor or veterinarian for training
• All lab staff in both quarantined and non-quarantined spaces should review decontamination procedures (http://animal.research.uiowa.edu/laboratory-decontamination-guidance)
• In addition to donning gloves whenever handling animals or animal equipment, hand-washing after glove removal is an important step in preventing cross-contamination with surfaces and materials in and out of the animal facility and lab spaces

Website:

• In addition to email updates, information regarding the EDIM outbreak will be regularly updated on our website: http://animal.research.uiowa.edu/mouse-viral-pathogen-identified

Thank you for your continued cooperation as we work to contain this infection.  Please do not hesitate to contact us with questions or concerns.

Contact Us:

• Please contact an OAR veterinarian at oar-veterinarian@uiowa.edu or 335-7985 with any questions or concerns regarding this communication; or
• Heather Gipson, Assistant Vice President for Research Compliance at heather-gipson@uiowa.edu or 335-9546.