SPF and aseptic husbandry

SPF husbandry

The animals are free from the pathogens defined for the respective unit. Animals are kept behind so-called barriers. Mice are kept in open cages, filter-top cages or individually ventilated cages (IVCs) on wood fiber bedding, in IVCs they are handled under sterile workbenches and transfer stations. Supplies, bedding, feed and water are sterilized by autoclaving, irradiation or filtration.

Persons entering the animal area must not have been in external animal housing for up to 72 hours. Access to the barriers is via 3-chamber airlocks with air or wet showers and includes a change of clothing and shoes. Face masks, hoods and gloves are worn in all animal areas.

The ZTL has the following SPF Departments:

• Experimental animal husbandry (long-term experiments)

• Infection department

• Rabbit husbandry

• Guinea pig breeding

• Dog house

• Pig house

• Cat breeding

Germ-free keeping

With two negative pressure and 29 positive pressure isolators, the ZTL operates the largest breeding and keeping of germ-free mice and rats in Germany. The animals are kept in positive or negative pressure isolators.