Hazards identified for consideration in respect of live laboratory rats and mice were as follows:

• Main Authors: Hazard Identification, Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus, Ectromelia Virus
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Rattus rattus
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.649.4666; http://www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/17042/2002-41a.pdf

Conditions for importation of laboratory rats and mice were reviewed in 1998 and the current conditions were issued in June 1999 (AQPM 1999/043). Since that time, several requests have been made for importation of mouse embryos and semen with a view to gaining access to special strains of mice for research purposes. The importation of embryos, ova and semen in lieu of live animals is promoted as being inherently safer from a biosecurity perspective. Many agents of concern are not transmitted vertically via in-utero transmission to the embryo or foetus. Many may not be transmitted via semen. Thus, there may be a lower risk than live animal importation. This document reviews the disease risks involved in importation of mouse embryos, ova and semen and discusses options for extending the current conditions for live laboratory rats and mice to include these products. This review is limited to the species Mus musculus, Rattus rattus and Rattus norvegicus. Its scope is also limited to animals kept under laboratory conditions- rats or mice reared as pets could carry a range of pathogens significantly wider than animals reared in laboratories. This document also reviews the use of source colony disease status (as an alternative to post arrival quarantine and testing) as a means of ensuring that imported animals, embryos, ova or semen are free of the agents of concern. In the context of importation of live laboratory rats and mice, it discusses this alternative option.