Biosecurity
Biosecurity
Health reports
Ozgene custom strains and Ozgene ARC stock strains maintain distinct bio-security statuses by housing their animals in separate facilities which are also exclusively tended to by a team of highly trained animal care technicians.
Ozgene ARC health reports listed below are results from health testing conducted with animals under the care of the Western Australian Government’s Animal Resource Centre (ARC) and are representative of the health status of animals transferred to Ozgene ARC when it assumed operational control. Note, these reports are not part of Ozgene ARC’s long term sentinel testing protocol.
Health testing
Our Sentinel program adheres to the standards set by the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations (FELASA). Live animals are sent to an external testing laboratory, Cerberus Sciences, to test for specific pathogens quarterly or annually. Please see the health reports above for more information.
Housing
Ozgene ARC is currently in the process of transitioning all ARC animals into Individually ventilated cages (IVCs), which offer several biosecurity advantages over other types of cages. IVCs have their own ventilation systems that prevent the spread of airborne contaminants, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Each cage has its own filter and exhaust system, which reduces the risk of cross-contamination between cages and animals. IVCs also offer better temperature and humidity control, which promotes the health and welfare of the animals. The use of IVCs helps to ensure the highest standards of animal welfare and biosecurity, which are crucial for producing reliable research outcomes.
Fumigation
Each Ozgene ARC area, including the IVCs and equipment, are fumigated prior to populating the area with animals. The fumigation is performed by LAF Technologies using SixLog iHP® (ionised Hydrogen Peroxide) technology for the elimination of environmental bio-contamination, including viruses, bacteria, fungi/mould, and microbial spores. Post-fumigation samples from each area are incubated for 7 days and analysed by Biotest Laboratories to detect any growth on biological indicators. The certificates for each area are listed below.
