Vendor: Mice obtained from The Jackson Laboratory.

Shipment age: mice shipped 20 - 65 days of age.

Shipment dates: Two testing sessions were conducted. Thirteen strains were shipped on 20-Oct 1998 for the first session. The second session consisted of 15 strains, two of which (SJL/J and SEA/GnJ) were shipped on 09-Feb 1999. The other 13 strains were shipped on 02-Mar 1999. Shipment dates for individual mice are available at www.monell.org/MMTPP.

Health status report: The Jackson Laboratory Diagnostics Laboratory routinely monitors and documents animal health status using statistically valid sampling procedures and standard protocols. (Note that these tests were not performed on the mice used in this study but rather on mice that were housed in the same facility as the ones used in this study.)

See JAX®Mice Quality Control Programs or the JAX®Mice Catalog for the list of agents monitored.

Genotype information:

Environment before shipping

Feed: Most strains maintained on a 6% fat diet ( Purina 5K52 ) except the following strains maintained on a 4% fat diet (Purina 5K54): CAST/EiJ, DBA/2J, SPRET/EiJ. RIIIS/J diet alternated weekly between the 4% and 6% fat formulations.

Water: Adjusted with hydrochloric acid to pH 2.8-3.1 and supplemented with menadione sodium bisulfite (final concentration 0.4 milligram/milliliter) to compensate for potential decrease in vitamin K activity upon autoclaving; water supplied in pinhole type bottles (Thoren Caging Systems, Inc. Hazelton, PA).

Housing: Thoren cages; Thoren Maxi Miser #3 cages used for some strains as part of a PIV (pressurized individually ventilated) system.

Bedding: Steam autoclaved white pine shavings.

Photoperiod: 14 hours on (generally covering the hours of 4:30 AM to 6:30 PM) 10 hours off.

Temperature: 18 - 24 °C

Relative humidity: ~50%.

Acclimation Period

Duration: 6 - 22 days in SPF vivarium where tests were conducted (at Monell).

Feed: Teklad Rodent Diet 8604 pellets (Harlan, Madison, WI). See Harlan-Teklad web site for ingredients.

Water: Deionized water, provided by centralized (building-wide) ion resin system.

Housing: Individually housed in 26.5 x 17 cm x 12 cm plastic tub cages with stainless steel grid tops (Lab products, Inc, no. 10025).

Bedding: Aspen Chips, provided by North Penn Feeds.

Photoperiod: 12 hours on (on at 7 am) 12 hours off.

Temperature: 23 +/- 2 °C

Relative humidity: Approximately 35% but not monitored.

Health status report (General statement from M.T.) Mice appeared healthy during acclimation period.

Testing Period

Environment: same as acclimation period.

Health status report: Mice appeared healthy during testing period. No health concerns were noted. Sentinel mice from the same vivarium that the test mice were housed were negative for all viruses monitored by a Mouse Assessment Plus test from Charles River (included SEND, PVM, MHV, TMEV, REO, MPUL, MPV, EDIM, LCMV, MAV, ECTRO, K, POLY, MYLV, MCMV, HTN, ECUN, and CARB).