The costs of housing animals are a significant fraction of the cost of research. These high costs are driven by both ethical and scientific considerations, as investigators want the animals they use for research to be healthy and disease-free. The standards for the number of mice that can be housed in a cage and the frequency of cage changing, articulated in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (NRC, 1996), were based on the best professional judgment, because there was an absence of good experimental data at the time. However, much has changed since the standards were established. Animal facilities have incorporated significant advances such as much cleaner animal rooms and the widespread use of pressurized individually ventilated (PIV) caging. In addition, several studies have shown that mice can be housed at densities about twice that recommended by the Guide with no adverse effects on their health or well-being, and some of these studies even show an improvement in the health and well-being of these social animals. However, some studies were short in duration, tested only one sex, measured health and well-being in a limited number of ways, and were underpowered statistically. We propose to fill these gaps in knowledge about the appropriate density for housing mice by carrying out studies that will have adequate statistical power. Include both sexes, use a wide variety of parameters to assess health and well-being, and extend over longer periods of time including one lifespan study.

Public Health Relevance

(provided by applicant): The ability to house more mice in a cage would dramatically cut the costs of animal housing, and this would benefit research into animal models of human disease by cutting costs.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)
Type
Resource-Related Research Projects (R24)
Project #
5R24RR012552-09
Application #
8044789
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRR1-CM-5 (01))
Program Officer
Watson, William T
Project Start
1998-09-30
Project End
2013-03-31
Budget Start
2011-04-01
Budget End
2013-03-31
Support Year
9
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$387,585
Indirect Cost
Name
Jackson Laboratory
Department
Type
DUNS #
042140483
City
Bar Harbor
State
ME
Country
United States
Zip Code
04609
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Paigen, B; Svenson, K L; Von Smith, R et al. (2012) Physiological effects of housing density on C57BL/6J mice over a 9-month period. J Anim Sci 90:5182-92
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Matsui, E C; Diette, G B; Krop, E J M et al. (2005) Mouse allergen-specific immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin G4 and allergic symptoms in immunoglobulin E-sensitized laboratory animal workers. Clin Exp Allergy 35:1347-53
Smith, Abigail L; Mabus, Sarah L; Muir, Cameron et al. (2005) Effects of housing density and cage floor space on three strains of young adult inbred mice. Comp Med 55:368-76
Smith, Abigail L; Mabus, Sarah L; Stockwell, Jason D et al. (2004) Effects of housing density and cage floor space on C57BL/6J mice. Comp Med 54:656-63
Smith, Ellen; Stockwell, Jason D; Schweitzer, Isabelle et al. (2004) Evaluation of cage micro-environment of mice housed on various types of bedding materials. Contemp Top Lab Anim Sci 43:12-7
Matsui, Elizabeth C; Krop, Esmeralda J M; Diette, Gregory B et al. (2004) Mouse allergen exposure and immunologic responses: IgE-mediated mouse sensitization and mouse specific IgG and IgG4 levels. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 93:171-8
Schweitzer, Isabelle B; Smith, Ellen; Harrison, David J et al. (2003) Reducing exposure to laboratory animal allergens. Comp Med 53:487-92

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