YARC       Comparative Medicine

Veterinary Clinical Services

Protocol for Pinworm  Treatment

(Syphacia muris, Syphacia obvelata, Aspiculuris tetraptera)

  1. Ivermectin Spray

    1. Dilute 1% Ivermectin 1 part to 10 parts tap water.
      Only mix as much as you will need for that day, discard after 24 hours.
    2. Place into spray bottle and adjust so that one spray delivers 1-2ml by spraying into graduated cylinder or beaker
    3. Once a week for 3 consecutive weeks, during routine cage changing, treat each cage as follows:
      1. Wear protective 3M #8710 dust/mist face mask when spraying Ivermectin.
      2. Transfer mice to clean cage.
      3. Shake spray bottle of solution.
      4. Spray animals with one pump of sprayer.
      5. Do not spray litters less than 2 wks old. Transfer older animals in pen to clean cage, spray them and then transfer pups.
      6. After spraying 10-20 cages check spray bottle to be sure it is still delivering 1-2 ml/pump.
    4. Spray new arrivals when they are housed.
    5. In Addition:
      • WEEK 1
        1. Change cages, tops and racks, discarding all old food.
        2. Place sufficient food in hopper for 1 week, check daily and give more as needed
        3. Change card holders or dunk in 1:18:1 Clidox; carelully wipe cage cards with 1:18:1 Clidox use caution not to smear writing.
        4. Change room exhaust filter and wipe area with 1:18:1 Clidox.
        5. Wash all surfaces including walls, ceiling, floor, tables, change stations, carts food barrels, census books, sharps containers, waste cans, etc. with 1:18:1 Clidox. Send as much as possible to the washroom.
      • WEEK 2
        1. Repeat steps of Week 1, a through d only
      • WEEK 3
        1. Repeat steps of Week 1, a through e
    6. One to two weeks following treatment take random samples throughout room/group for laboratory testing (using scotch tape method)
      1. Select young adult mice for sampling if they are available
      2. Test at least 10-20 animals throughout the room from various racks/shelves; in the case of quarantine groups, sample at least one to two animals per cage.

  2. Piperazine in H20

    1. Using 34% Piperazine prepare solution by adding 6ml Piperazine to each 500ml H20 bottle or for mixing large quantities add 45ml to 1 gallon H20.
    2. WEEK 1 - Give animals medicated water mixed as above. Leave on cage for 7 days.
    3. WEEK 2 - Give animals their regular water, unmedicated, for 7 days.
    4. WEEK 3 - Again give animals the medicated water, leave on for 7 days.
    5. Treatment of room/equipment should be as in #5 a-c above.
    6. One to two weeks following treatment take random samples throughout room/group for laboratory testing (using scotch tape method)
      1. Select young adult mice for sampling if they are available
      2. Test at least 10-20 anirnals throughout the room from various racks/shelves; in the case of quarantine groups,sample at least one to two animals per cage.

  3. Fenbendazole Treated Feed

    1. Medication is mixed into rodent chow of our choice by the vendor and may be irradiated upon request. Irradiation sterilizes the chow (autoclaving may affect the potency of the medication). Irradiated feed is fed to those animals that are in full service microisolators only. Non-irradiated is for all others.
      1. When treating full service microisolators arrange ahead of time to receive autoclaved cages with no food on the weeks you are giving medicated chow (Wks 1,3 & 5).
      2. Enter boxes of food into barrier when necessary by spraying and wiping outside of container with 1:18:1 Clidox and then bring to room to be treated.
      3. To enter into hood where change stations are normally used, remove food bag from box, spray down with 1:18:1 Clidox and place in hood. Food can then be added to each cage as needed, using only enough for one week.
    2. The entire treatment regime lasts for 6 weeks as follows:
      1. WEEK 1:
        1. Change cages, tops and racks, discarding all old food.
        2. Place sufficient medicated food for 1 week in hopper, check daily and give more if needed.
        3. Change card holders or dunk in 1:18:1 Clidox; carefully wipe cage cards with 1:18:1 Clidox, use caution not to smear writing.
        4. Change room exhaust filter and wipe area with 1:18:1 Clidox.
        5. Wash all surfaces including walls, ceiling,floor, tables,change stations, carts, food barrels, census books, sharps containers, waste cans, etc with 1:18:1 Clidox. Send as much as possible to the washroom.
      2. WEEK 2:
        1. Dump any remaining medicated food from cages and feed normal chow or in the case of full service microisolators transfer into complete autoclaved setup as usual.
      3. WEEK 3:
        1. Everything the same as week 1.
      4. WEEK 4:
        1. Everything the same as week 2.
      5. WEEK 5:
        1. Everything the same as week 1.
      6. WEEK6:
        1. Everything the same as week 2.
    3. Two and four weeks following treatment take random samples throughout room/group for laboratory testing (using scotch tape method).
      1. Select young adult mice for sampling if they are available.
        1. Test at least 1 animal from each shelve of every rack; In the case of quarantine groups, sample all animals per cage.

  4. Record Keeping

    1. Permission to treat animals is obtained by VCS. The week prior to beginning treatment a notice should be also be posted on the animal room door by YARC informing investigators of the dates of treatment and to contact VCS if they have questions.
    2. Complete the "Pinworm Treatment Record" form and return to VCS once treatment is finished.

ECW/GC 1997 (revised FRH 99)

 

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Copyright © 1999 Yale Animal Resources Center, Yale University
Last modified: February 13, 2000