Contaminating DNA can give false positive in 'Sentinel Free' health monitoring by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

摘要

Following the introduction of "sentinel free" animal health monitoring by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) on the dust collected on filters in the exhaust plenums of Individually Ventilated Cage (IVC) racks, we present a case where exhaust filters gave positives by PCR for an infectious agent which had not previously been found by microbiological culture in that colony on multiple live animal samples across the lifespan of the IVC exhaust filter.