Services » Animal Research Facilities and Pinworm Decontamination

Laboratory Animal Facilities - Remediation of research facilities with pinworm infestation

Rodent Pinworm infestations are common in Animal Research Facilities. Pinworm Infestation can be costly in terms of lost research productivity, population destruction, treatment, time and labour and facility decontamination. The scheduling of medication, equipment sterilization and facility remediation must be coordinated tightly to ensure successful treatment and reduction in possible future infestations.

 

 
 
Treatments such as ivermectin and fenbendazole are capable of killing pinworms but not their eggs. Pinworm eggs can survive for weeks outside a host, are easily spread due to their stickiness and robustness and can easily contaminate unaffected areas. The pinworm eggs can also become air borne and be transferred between spaces via the HVAC system and onto equipment and cages. Therefore thorough facility cleaning and decontamination is critical to ridding a facility of infection and reducing future infestation.

 

Recently published research from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville shows that chlorine dioxide gas is effective against pinworms and their eggs. Of the three validated effective treatments for pinworm eggs, the first two are not viable in facility decontamination (Ethylene oxide and dry heat treatment). As part of a full remediation scope of works and working in closely with client’s medication schedule, Biosafety Pty Ltd use a multi-staged approach to clean and decontaminate primary areas to rid facilities of pinworm eggs. We are able to work in with relocating treated animals from dirty to clean and then following the process again in the various dirty areas. We have completed many projects in Australia and some of these facilities are still pinworm free over 15 months later.