rodent and rabbit assay data sheet
Rodent fur mites
Test
code:
X0031 - Ultrasensitive qualitative detection of mouse and rat fur
mites (Myobia,
Myocoptes, and
Radfordia
spp.) by real time PCR.
Mites and ticks are small arthropods belonging to the subclass Acari
(also known as Acarina), in class Arachnida. Both mites and
ticks pass through four stages of development: egg to larva to
nymph to adult. All stages have eight legs except the six-legged
larva.
Some mites parasitize animals, including man; others are scavengers. Some
mites feed on plants, and many prey on insects and other
arthropods. In fact, there are nearly as many different types of
mites as there are insects.
Rodent and bird mites may bite people when they jump onto people. Three
types of rodent mites readily bite humans: the house mouse mite
(Liponyssoides saguineus),
spiny rat mite (Laelaps
echidnina) and tropical rat mite (Ornithonyssus
bacoti).
The house mouse mite has a worldwide distribution but is more common in
the northeastern United States. The house mouse mite normally
sucks the blood of mice, but will also bite rats and people,
often causing a rash around the bite. These mites prefer warm
places where rodents live. The spiny rat mite feeds on rats at
night and hides by day in cracks and crevices around rat nests
and resting places. The spiny rat mite is the most common mite
occurring on Norway rats and roof rats in the U.S. It is not a
known vector of pathogens. The tropical rat mite is not truly
tropical, nor does it feed exclusively on rats. This mite can
live for up to 10 days off its host and is capable of traveling
great distances to find new food sources. The tropical rat
mite’s bite is painful and causes skin irritation and itching in
humans
Mice in vivariums may be infested with fur mites of species
Myobia musculi,
Myocoptes musculinus, and
Radfordia affinis. The prevalence of fur mite infections can
be as high as 40% in mouse colonies. Although
Myocoptes is the most
commonly diagnosed fur mite in captive mice,
Myobia infection appears to be the most significant infection
because it is more likely to induce a hypersensitivity reaction
in the host, leading to more severe irritation and skin disease
Diagnosis of mite infection can be achieved by microscopic
examination of collected samples. However, molecular detection
by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is increasingly being used to
detect the presence of mites in fur swab samples (Karlsson et
al., 2014).
Utilities:
-
Help confirm the disease causing agent
-
Shorten the time required to confirm a clinical
diagnosis of rodent fur mites.
-
Help ensure that vivariums are free of fur mites
-
Early prevention of spread of fur mites among animals
-
Minimize personnel exposure to fur mites
References:
Karlsson, E.M., Pearson, L.M., Kuzma, K.M and Burkholder, T.H. (2014)
Combined evaluation of commonly used techniques, including PCR,
for diagnosis of mouse fur mites. J. Am. Assoc. Lab. Anim. Sci.
53:69-73.
Specimen requirements:
Fur swab or environmental surface swab.
Contact Zoologix if advice is needed to determine an appropriate specimen type for a specific diagnostic application. For specimen types not listed here, please contact Zoologix to confirm specimen acceptability and shipping instructions.
For all
specimen types, if there will be a delay in shipping, or during
very warm weather, refrigerate specimens until shipped and ship
with a cold pack unless more stringent shipping requirements are
specified. Frozen specimens should be shipped so as to remain
frozen in transit. See shipping
instructions for more information.
Turnaround time:
2 business days
Methodology:
Qualitative
real time polymerase chain reaction
Normal range:
Nondetected