Animal Shipping Products

Taconic has designed and constructed a germ-free shipper for delivery of germ-free animals. These animals are free of all other life forms with the exception of endogenous viruses, which are present in the somatic and germ cells of all mice, including germ-free mice. The germ-free shipper preserves the germ-free health status of the animals during shipping.

The germ-free shipper is a large, flexible vinyl sleeve with filtered openings and an accompanying case. The sleeve measures approximately 12 inches in diameter and 3 ½ feet in length. Up to three animal cages (11 ½″ x 7 ½″ x 5″) can fit in the sleeve. Germ-free animals at Taconic are housed in isolators that follow strict gnotobiotic techniques for entry of animals and autoclaved supplies. To move animals from an isolator to a germ-free shipper takes careful maneuvering. One end of the shipper sleeve is connected to the isolator and empty animal cages (pre-positioned in the shipper) are carefully moved from the shipper to the isolator.

The animals located in the isolator are placed into the cages in accordance with prescribed densities. The cages are then moved back into the germ-free shipper, which is then disconnected from the isolator and sealed. The animals are never exposed to outside air; only filtered isolator air and then air from the filtered opening of the germ-free shipper.

Once animal cages have been placed in the germ-free shipper, the shipper is placed in a clear plastic box for transport to its destination. See below for instructions on how to correctly remove the animals from the germ-free shipper.

Orders for the germ-free shipper itself are fulfilled with pre-sterilized shippers. No additional sterilization is required upon receipt.

Gnotobiotic Equipment Prices

Note: This procedure is easier to perform with two people.

1. Withdraw vinyl shipper from the plastic shipping carton. Use care to keep cages and oval filter upright.
2. Open end of connecting sleeve:
   • Unfold sleeve and remove yellow vinyl tape that was folded and sealed prior to shipment.
   • When open, the sleeve is compatible with a standard 12" diameter isolator port.
3. Swab inside of sleeve and the face of the Mylar diaphragm with a sterilant (using caution not to apply too much pressure to Mylar diaphragm).
4. Pull sleeve partway onto the swabbed port of the destination isolator. Secure the shipper sleeve to the port with tape, making a complete tape seal of the shipper to the destination isolator port. Ensure that half of the tape is on the shipper sleeve and half of the tape is on the port.
5. Remove plug from nipple on germ-free shipper sleeve. Place nozzle of sterilant atomizer against nipple and spray sleeve portion of shipper with sterilant to give a balloon-like effect until the sleeve is inflated. Quickly replace plug into nipple, maintaining sterilant positive pressure.
6. After the appropriate contact time for the sterilant, ensure that isolator port cap remains bubbled in toward isolator interior, ensuring that sleeve-port connection is not breached. Next remove the exterior yellow tape from the circumference of the Mylar diaphragm.
7. Carefully work the Mylar diaphragm within the germ-free shipper to a horizontal position (using external manipulation).
8. From within isolator, remove isolator port cap. Pull the Mylar diaphragm through the port and into the isolator.
9. Rotate the cages within the shipper and slide toward the isolator port (using external pressure).
10. Pull in cages and remove the bands that are securing the cages lids.
11. Have a sterile vial with a small amount (1-2 ml) of sterile water in it ready for sample collection. Dip a sterile swab into the vial and dampen it with water. Swab several of the animals' coats and the interior of the cage; place the swab into the vial. Collect feces and a small amount of bedding from the cage and place it in the vial with the swab and water. Transport the vial to your laboratory and test for all aerobic and anaerobic growth according to standard procedures.
12. Remove the animals and place in isolator caging.
13. Replace isolator port cap. Remove germ-free shipper from exterior port.