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HOW TO WORK WITH MICROISOLATOR CAGES
BASIC PRINCIPLES
- Just
as with a microbiological petri dish, everything inside of the
microisolator cage is sterile and everything outside of the
cage is dirty, including the outside of the cage itself.
- Never
touch anything inside the cage without first decontaminating
your gloved hands with the cold sterilant provided (Spor-Klenz).
Hands should be wet with Spor-Klenz at all times.
- Never
place microisolator cages on the floor.
- Never
open a microisolator cages unless it is under the hood.
- Never
set the clean, open side of the cage lid on the working surface;
always set it upside down.
WORKING UNDER THE HOOD
1. Wipe the working surface of the hood with sterilant and paper towels.
2. Get a pair of gloves, disposable sleeves, and adhesive tape from
the supply cart adjacent to the hood.
3. Put the sleeves on first, then the gloves. Tape the edge of the glove cuff to the sleeve.
4. While seated at the hood, wipe your gloves and sleeves with sterilant.
Distribute the solution all over the gloves and sleeves
with the opposite hand. Be thorough! The surface
of the sleeves should be wet but not saturated.
5. Open the cage and place the lid upside down. Dip hands in tray containing sterilant before
touching anything inside the cage.
Remember, the outside of the cage is dirty - the inside
is clean.
6. To work with your animals, set the sterile water bottle in the sterilant
tray or turn it "spout end up" and leave it in the holder.
Turn the wire lid sideways to remove animals from the cage,
or place the wire lid inside the inverted plastic cage top.
Use sterile forceps to remove mice from cages.
7. A sterile work surface may be created inside the hood by spreading
out sterile paper towels (large or small) located in the supply
drawers. Be careful not to block hood air vents with
towels.
8. An additional sterile microisolator cage may be used to hold animals
temporarily while working in the hood.
9. Filtered sterile water for filling water bottles is provided through
the spout inside the hood by pressing the foot pedal.
INVESTIGATORS
AND RESEARCH STAFF MAY NOT TRAIN OTHERS IN THE LAB TO WORK IN
THE MICROISOLATOR SYSTEM. FACILITY
USERS MUST BE TRAINED BY MICROISOLATOR FACILITY
STAFF ONLY! PLEASE
DO NOT GIVE YOUR ID ACCESS CARD TO UNTRAINED UNDIVIDUALS.
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CHECKLIST FOR THE TRAINER
q
Explain purpose of facility (to keep rodent virus free).
q
All work MUST be done in the hood.
q
What experiments do you intend to do. If experiments cannot be done under a hood,
see Dr. Adams (Ross 459, Phone 955-3273) about using a cubicle.
q
Show trainee a room.
q
Explain how hood works (sterile air supply, exhaust
vents (don't block), UV light, door positions (rat vs. mouse
cages), buzzer function.)
q
Explain Spor-Klenz.
(Blend of hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid.). Expiration date? Stable for 7 days after diluted. Make fresh weekly. How
do you dilute it? 1:99
(1 part Spor-Klenz to 99 parts water).
q
Euthanizing animals.
q
Cages. Distinguish
between clean and sterile cages. Explain working cages. Explain
rat vs. mouse cages and wire lids.
q
Autoclave. Explain
clean/dirty system, how cages are prepared. Do not set sterilized cages on the floor.
q
Animals. Once
animals leave the facility, do NOT bring them back.
q
Sentinels. Explain
purpose.
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I have read the above
information and agree to adhere to the procedures described.
Do
you have animals housed in a non-microisolator facility? ¡ YES ¡ NO
P.I. Name (print): _____________________________________________
Signature _____________________________________________ Date _____________________
Trainee: _____________________________________________
Signature
_____________________________________________ Date _____________________
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NOTE: THIS FORM ONLY SHOWS
THAT YOU HAVE BEEN TRAINED.
IT DOES NOT GRANT YOU ACCESS TO THE MICROISOLATOR
AREA. YOU WILL NEED TO FILL OUT A CLEARANCE ACCESS
FORM FOR ANIMAL AREAS.
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