An Inhalation System to Infect Laboratory Animals

Team Members Nick Anders, Kayla Ericson, Stacey Hoebel, Maja Middleton, Jeff Swift, Ausin Ramme Client Adel M. Talaat, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Department of Animal and Biomedical Sciences Advisor Professor Willis Tompkins

Problem Statement Develop a safe inhalation system for animal Develop a safe inhalation system for animal infection infection Should be able to infect animals ranging in Should be able to infect animals ranging in size from mice, rats, and guinea pigs to size from mice, rats, and guinea pigs to rabbits rabbits Should be equipped with pathogen escape Should be equipped with pathogen escape prevention measures to insure safety in the prevention measures to insure safety in the surrounding environment surrounding environment

Client’s Goals The animal infection study will be used to: The animal infection study will be used to: –Study pathogenesis of tuberculosis Origination Origination Development Development –Develop cure for TB patients Novel drugs Novel drugs Vaccines Vaccines

Biological Safety Level 3 High risk to individuals, low risk to community High risk to individuals, low risk to community Examples: tuberculosis, yellow fever, rabies Examples: tuberculosis, yellow fever, rabies Safety Precautions: Safety Precautions: –Training for lab workers –Protective clothing –Autoclave in work zone –Non-porous materials –Sealed exhaust system –HEPA filtration –Directional airflow

Current Device Available Glas-Col company Glas-Col company Ideal Ideal –Nebulizer –Filters –Air Incinerator –UV light Prohibitively expensive ($15,000) Prohibitively expensive ($15,000)

Current Device in Use Main chamber: 75 cm x 50 cm x 15 cm Main chamber: 75 cm x 50 cm x 15 cm Inner chambers: radius 8 cm, height 12 cm Inner chambers: radius 8 cm, height 12 cm Nebulizer, Ethanol Trap, Hepa Filter Nebulizer, Ethanol Trap, Hepa Filter Tupperware Tupperware

Inner Chamber Tupperware Tupperware Creates skin infection Creates skin infection Inefficient Inefficient Cannot infect anything but mice Cannot infect anything but mice Maximum of 1 mouse per chamber at one time Maximum of 1 mouse per chamber at one time

Design Specifications Dimensions: Dimensions: –Length: 25 cm – 75 cm –Width: 40 cm – 30 cm –Height: 10 cm – 70 cm Withstand the Autoclaving Process Withstand the Autoclaving Process Storage at Room Temperature Storage at Room Temperature Air Tight Structure Air Tight Structure Deliver 5 mL of culture in 20 minutes Deliver 5 mL of culture in 20 minutes Service Life: 50 to 100 Uses Service Life: 50 to 100 Uses

Design 1: Modified Current Design Air output Animal Cage Rubber seal Air input Clamps

Modified Current Design Strengths Strengths –Inexpensive –Easy to Assemble –Low Maintenance –Autoclavable –More Efficient

Modified Current Design Weaknesses Weaknesses –Entire Animal Exposed to Pathogen –Inconsistent Air Flow

Design 2: Direct Nose Infection Strengths Strengths –Targeted Infection –Extremely Efficient –Entire Body not Contaminated

Direct Nose Infection System Weaknesses Weaknesses –Anesthetization of Subject –May cause death –Excessive tubing

Final Design: Dual Chamber System Dual Chamber System 4 Input Air Flow 4 Input Air Flow Latex Flange around Neck Latex Flange around Neck Three Species Specific Inner Chambers Three Species Specific Inner Chambers Air input animal Air input Animal head Air output

Future Work Construction of inner stalls for easy maintenance Construction of inner stalls for easy maintenance Restraint systems Restraint systems Fans Fans

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