K virus PCR test

Mouse K virus was first discovered by Lawrence Kilham - thus “K” virus. It belongs to the family Pavovaviridae. The virus is usually spread by the oronasal route. When a young mouse is orally inoculated with the virus, the virus first replicates in the intestine and then spreads to other organs such as liver, lung, spleen and brain. Older mice may mount an immune response to the virus and thus may limit the spread of the virus through the body. However, athymic or nude mice suffer significantly if infected.

In naturally infected colonies of mice, significant clinical symptoms are usually absent and these infected mice may become carriers of the virus (Lussier and Descôteaux, 1986) and pass it to young mice.

Diagnosis of mice infected with K virus is sometimes done by serology testing. However, since many mice may have had prior exposure to this virus, a positive serology result may not indicate current carrier status. Molecular detection by PCR can provide rapid, highly sensitive, highly specific identification of the presence of the virus.

Utilities:

Help confirm the disease causing agent
Shorten the time required to confirm a clinical diagnosis of K virus
Help ensure that vivariums are free of K virus
Early prevention of spread of K virus among a vivarium
Minimize personnel exposure to this virus
Safety monitoring of biological products that derive from mice

References:
Lussier, G. and Descôteaux, J.P. (1986) Prevalence of natural virus infections in laboratory mice and rats used in Canada. Lab. Anim. Sci. 36:145-148.

Specimen requirements: Fecal pellet, or 0.2 ml whole blood in EDTA (purple top) tube, or 0.2 ml cell culture

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