Experimental device for the transmission of pathogens by exhaled droplets in mice

Abstract

The present invention discloses an experimental device for the transmission of pathogens by exhaled droplets for mice, which can avoid cross-contamination between experimental mice in the transmission group during the experiment, ensure that the infected mice are infected by pathogens in the form of exhaled droplets and can achieve long-term infection. Its technical solution includes an outer shell and a central cavity, a partition is provided in the central cavity, and the partition divides the central cavity into an upper chamber and a lower chamber; the upper chamber is configured to accommodate experimental mice in the transmission group, and multiple mouse cages are arranged inside; the mouse cage includes a top wall plate, a bottom plate and a side wall plate, wherein the bottom plate is arranged toward the partition and parallel to the partition, the top wall plate and the bottom plate are both provided with openings, and the side wall plates are all closed plates; the lower chamber is configured to accommodate the activities of bacteria-carrying mice in the infection group; the partition is provided with through holes respectively connected to the upper chamber and the lower chamber; the upper wall of the outer shell is provided with a diffusion port connected to the upper chamber. This technical point avoids cross-infection of experimental mice in the transmission group in each mouse cage, and can improve the accuracy of the experiment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an animal cage, in particular to an experimental device for the exhaled droplet transmission of pathogens used in mice, which can be used for droplet transmission experiments of mice and rats and can prevent cross infection between experimental mice in a transmission group. Background Art

[0002] Inhalation toxicology is a science that studies the various conditions, laws and mechanisms of the occurrence, development and elimination of the toxicological effects of inhalable substances on the body, as well as the hazard assessment of inhalable substances. Its professional research content mainly includes: the physical and chemical properties of various substances in the air; the basic biology of the respiratory tract; the deposition and retention of inhaled substances in the body and their interactions with important systems and organs in the body, and how these effects lead to the occurrence of diseases. With the increasing activity of international inhalation toxicology research, many domestic experts have also fully realized the importance of inhalation toxicology. For example, in some existing inhalation toxicology studies, healthy animals such as mice and mice with pathogens are placed in cages together, and the gas exhaled by the mice with pathogens is used for the healthy mice to breathe to conduct inhalation poisoning experiments. However, in each poisoning experiment, multiple healthy mice and mice with pathogens are placed in cages at the same time, and they cannot be isolated. Physical collisions will occur between them, resulting in cross-infection, which affects the experimental results.

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a mouse pathogen exhalation droplet transmission experimental device that can isolate the experimental mice in each transmission group and avoid cross infection between the experimental mice. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a mouse pathogen exhaled droplet transmission experiment device that can be used for droplet transmission experiments in mice and rats and can prevent cross infection.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides the following technical solutions: an exhaled droplet transmission experimental device for pathogens in mice, comprising a shell and a central cavity, wherein a partition is provided in the central cavity, and the partition divides the central cavity into an upper chamber and a lower chamber;

[0006] The upper chamber is configured to accommodate experimental mice of the transmission group and is provided with a plurality of mouse cages;

[0007] The squirrel cage comprises a top wall plate, a bottom plate and side wall plates, wherein the bottom plate is arranged toward the partition plate and parallel to the partition plate, the top wall plate and the bottom plate are both provided with openings, and the side wall plates are all closed plates;

[0008] The lower chamber is configured to accommodate the activities of infected group carrier mice;

[0009] The partition is provided with through holes respectively communicating with the upper chamber and the lower chamber;

[0010] The upper wall of the shell is provided with a diffusion port communicated with the upper chamber.

[0011] By adopting the above technical solution, when the experimental mice of the transmission group in the mouse cage inhale the gas exhaled by the bacteria-carrying mice of the infection group, the gas enters the mouse cage through the openings on the bottom plate for inhalation by the experimental mice of the transmission group, and the exhaled gas is discharged through the openings on the top wall plate. Since the side wall plate of the mouse cage is a closed plate, the gas exhaled by the experimental mice of the transmission group in multiple mouse cages will not circulate between the mouse cages, thereby avoiding the mixing of the gases in each mouse cage, so that the experimental mice of the transmission group in each mouse cage will not inhale the gas in other mouse cages to cause cross infection, thereby improving the accuracy of the experimental results;

[0012] In addition, the gas exhaled by the infection group carrier mice in the lower chamber was inhaled by the transmission group experimental mice in the upper chamber, which made it possible to study the disease transmission of pathogens formed by the exhaled droplets of mice and rats, avoided cross-contamination between the transmission group experimental mice, and ensured that the transmission group experimental mice became sick through pathogens in the form of exhaled droplets, rather than through infection caused by food, drinking water, mutual contact, and contact with the feces of the infection group carrier mice, which is more targeted.

[0013] The present invention is further configured as follows: a plurality of the squirrel cages are arranged circumferentially around the vertical axis of the central cavity;

[0014] The through hole is arranged at the center of the partition, and the axis of the through hole is colinear with the vertical axis of the central cavity.

[0015] By adopting the above technical solution, the parameters of the gas exhaled by the infected group of carrier mice entering each cage through the through hole are not much different, so that the gas breathed by the experimental mice in the transmission group in each cage is uniform and consistent.

[0016] The present invention is further configured as follows: a food trough is provided in the upper chamber, and a plurality of the mouse cages are cooperatively connected to the food trough;

[0017] The mouse cage and the food trough are both provided with food circulation openings that are interconnected;

[0018] The side of the mouse cage facing away from the feeding trough is a rear cover plate, and the rear cover plate is a closing plate.

[0019] By adopting the above technical solution, the setting of the feeding trough ensures that the mice in each cage can eat when they are hungry, and the rear cover is set as a closed plate, which is also to avoid the mutual transmission of bacterial gas between the cages and cause cross-infection between the experimental mice in the transmission group.

[0020] The present invention is further configured as follows: the partition is hollow and includes an upper plate and a lower plate, and the upper plate and the lower plate are connected and cooperated to enclose a receiving cavity;

[0021] The through hole is arranged on the lower plate;

[0022] The upper plate is provided with a plurality of mounting holes matching the cage bottom plate, each mounting hole corresponds to a plurality of cages one by one, and the cages are connected to the accommodating cavity through the openings.

[0023] By adopting the above technical solution, the feces and urine discharged by the transmission group experimental mice in the mouse cage can enter the accommodating cavity through the openings on the bottom plate and the mounting holes on the upper plate, thereby preventing the feces and urine from infecting the transmission group experimental mice in the mouse cage and facilitating the cleaning of the feces and urine.

[0024] The present invention is further configured as follows: the lower plate is provided with an annular protrusion at the edge of the through hole, and a gap is provided between the protrusion and the upper plate.

[0025] By adopting the above technical scheme, while ensuring that the gas exhaled by the infected group mice in the lower chamber can enter the mouse cage through the through hole for inhalation by the experimental mice in the transmission group in the upper chamber, it can also prevent the feces and urine discharged by the experimental mice in the transmission group in the upper chamber from entering the lower chamber through the through hole.

[0026] The present invention is further configured as follows: a support column is arranged on the bottom plate of the shell, a pad for carrying the infected group of carrier mice is installed on the support column, and a plurality of small holes for circulating the excrement of the infected group of carrier mice are opened on the pad.

[0027] By adopting the above technical solution, the excrement of the infected mice in the lower chamber can fall through the small holes on the pad, which can not only prevent the excrement from infecting the infected mice and affecting the experimental results, but also facilitate the cleaning of feces and urine.

[0028] The present invention is further configured as follows: a fan device is installed on the side of the lower plate facing the lower chamber.

[0029] By adopting the above technical solution, when the gas in the lower chamber cannot enter the upper chamber due to some larger particles, the gas can be blown upward by a fan and the uniformity of the gas can be improved.

[0030] The present invention is further configured as follows: the housing comprises an upper shell enclosing the upper chamber and a lower shell enclosing the lower chamber, and the upper shell and the lower shell are connected by a stainless steel lock;

[0031] A sealing ring is arranged between the upper shell and the lower shell.

[0032] By adopting the above technical solution, it is convenient to disassemble and install the upper shell and the lower shell, and to clean the upper chamber and the lower chamber.

[0033] The setting of the sealing ring can ensure the tightness of the seal during the experiment and prevent the entry of external gas from affecting the experimental results.

[0034] The present invention is further configured as follows: the openings on each of the mouse cages are provided in a plurality, and the plurality of openings are evenly arranged along the length direction of the cage box.

[0035] By adopting the above technical solution, the uniformity of the gas entering the mouse cage can be improved, so that the gas breathed by the experimental mice in the propagation group in the mouse cage is more uniform. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Hereinafter, some specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments in a non-limiting manner. The same reference numerals in the accompanying drawings indicate the same or similar components or parts. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0037] Figure 1 It is a cross-sectional view of an experimental device for the transmission of pathogens by exhaled droplets in mice according to the present invention;

[0038] Figure 2 The present invention is a schematic structural diagram of a central cavity of a pathogen exhaled droplet transmission experimental device for mice.

[0039] Among them, 1. outer shell; 1a. upper shell; 1b. lower shell; 2. central cavity; 2a. upper chamber; 2b. lower chamber; 3. diffuser; 4. feeding trough; 5. circulation port; 6. mouse cage; 6a. top wall plate; 6b. side wall plate; 6c. rear cover plate; 6d. bottom plate; 7. partition plate; 7a. upper plate; 7b. lower plate; 7c. accommodating chamber; 8. opening; 9. mounting hole; 10. annular protrusion; 11. through hole; 12. fan assembly; 13. pad; 13a. small hole; 14. support column; 15. water bottle; 16. food box; 17. stainless steel lock. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] To make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the following will refer to Figure 1 to Figure 2 The embodiment of the pathogen exhalation droplet transmission experimental device for mice of the present invention is further described.

[0041] A pathogen exhaled droplet transmission experimental device for mice, comprising an outer shell 1 and a central cavity 2, wherein the outer shell 1 comprises an upper shell 1a and a lower shell 1b, a stainless steel lock buckle 17 is installed on the lower shell 1b, and a connecting part (not shown in the figure) that cooperates with the stainless steel lock buckle 17 is provided on the upper shell 1a, and the upper shell 1a and the lower shell 1b are connected by the stainless steel lock buckle 17.

[0042] A partition 7 is provided in the central cavity 2, and the partition 7 divides the central cavity 2 into an upper chamber 2a and a lower chamber 2b, wherein healthy mice, i.e., experimental mice of the transmission group, are placed in the upper chamber 2a, and bacteria-carrying mice, i.e., bacteria-carrying mice of the infection group, are placed in the lower chamber 2b. The housing 1 includes a top and a bottom, a diffusion port 3 is provided on the top, and a support column 14 is installed on the bottom side facing the partition 7. The support columns 14 are provided in multiples, and the present invention preferably has four, and the four support columns 14 are evenly arranged in the circumferential direction around the axis of the central cavity 2. A pad 13 is fixedly installed on the support column 14, and the bacteria-carrying mice of the infection group are placed on the pad 13. In order to reduce the influence of the feces or urine of the bacteria-carrying mice of the infection group on the experimental results, the present invention is provided that a plurality of small holes 13a are provided on the pad 13, and the feces or urine discharged by the bacteria-carrying mice of the infection group can fall on the bottom of the housing 1 through the small holes 13a on the pad 13, so that the bacteria-carrying mice of the infection group are separated from the feces and urine discharged by them. In order to facilitate the installation of the partition 7, the present invention adopts the method of installing a column (not shown in the figure) on the side of the pad 13 facing the partition 7, or the column can be directly installed on the bottom of the shell 1, and then the partition 7 is fixedly installed on one end of the column. The partition 7 is provided with a through hole 11, and the gas exhaled by the infected group of carrier mice can enter the upper chamber 2a through the through hole 11.

[0043] A plurality of cages 6 are installed in the upper chamber 2a, and the cages 6 are arranged circumferentially around the axis of the central cavity 2, that is, the vertical central symmetry plane of each cage 6 passes through the vertical axis of the central cavity 2. A transmission group experimental mouse is placed in each cage 6. A trough 4 is also provided in the upper chamber 2a, in which feed and other food for the transmission group experimental mice are placed. The shape of the trough 4 can be designed to be a variety of shapes. In order to facilitate the connection with the trough 4, the present invention preferably designs the trough 4 to be a regular polygon, and the number of sides of the trough 4 is consistent with the number of cages 6, and the sides of the trough 4 correspond to the cages 6 one by one. The side of the cage 6 facing the trough 4 is the front wall plate, and the sides of the front wall plate and the trough 4 are both provided with circulation ports 5 for circulating food. The side of the cage 6 opposite to the front wall plate is the rear cover plate, the side facing the upper plate 7a is the bottom plate 6d, the side facing away from the bottom plate 6d is the top wall plate 6a, and the other two sides are the side wall plates 6b. The mouse cage 6 and the food trough 4 are both installed on the upper plate 7a, and the food trough 4 is located at the center of the upper plate 7a. In order to ensure that the gas exhaled by the infected mice in the lower chamber 2b can enter the upper chamber 2a for the experimental mice in the transmission group to breathe, an opening 8 is provided on the bottom plate 6d of the mouse cage 6. The upper plate 7a can be provided with a hole consistent with the opening on the bottom plate 6d of the mouse cage 6, or it can be provided with a mounting hole 9 matching the bottom plate 6d of the mouse cage 6. The bottom plate 6d of the mouse cage 6 is installed corresponding to the mounting hole 9. The gas exhaled by the infected mice can enter the mouse cage 6 through the mounting hole 9 and the opening on the bottom plate 6d for the experimental mice in the transmission group to breathe. The top wall plate 6a of the mouse cage 6 is also provided with an opening 8. After the experimental mice in the transmission group inhale the gas exhaled by the infected mice, the exhaled gas diffuses out through the opening on the top wall plate 6a and the diffusion port 3 on the top of the shell 1.

[0044] In order to prevent cross-infection of experimental mice in the transmission group between cages 6, the rear cover plate 6c and the side wall plate 6b of the cage 6 are both configured as closed plates, so that the gas entering the cage 6 or the gas exhaled by the experimental mice in the transmission group will not be transmitted to each other through the rear cover plate 6c or the side wall plate 6b of the cage 6.

[0045] Preferably, the partition 7 of the present invention includes an upper plate 7a and a lower plate 7b, both of which are of "︺" type design, and the openings of the upper plate 7a and the lower plate 7b are relatively connected, and a accommodating chamber 7c is formed between the upper plate 7a and the lower plate 7b, wherein a through hole 11 is provided on the lower plate 7b and is located at the center of the lower plate 7b. When the gas exhaled by the infected group of carrier mice in the lower chamber 2b enters the cage through the through hole 11 at the center of the lower plate 7b, the mounting hole 9 on the upper plate 7a and the opening 8 on the bottom plate 6d of the cage 6, the gas can be evenly dispersed and circulated, thereby ensuring the uniformity and consistency of inhalation of multiple transmission group experimental mice. There are multiple openings 8 on the top wall plate 6a and the bottom plate 6d of each cage 6, each opening 8 extends along the width direction of the bottom plate 6d, and multiple openings 8 are arranged evenly along the length direction of the bottom plate 6d. The feces or urine discharged by the experimental mice in the cage 6 can enter the accommodating chamber 7c through the openings 8 and the mounting holes 9, so that the experimental mice in the cage 6 are separated from the feces and urine discharged by them, and the feces or urine are prevented from infecting them and affecting the experimental results. At the same time, in order to prevent the urine or feces in the accommodating chamber 7c from entering the lower chamber 2b through the through hole 11, the lower plate 7b is provided with an annular protrusion 10 at the edge of the through hole 11 on the side facing the upper plate 7a. The annular protrusion 10 cooperates with the outer edge of the lower plate 7b so that the lower plate 7b is similarly provided with an annular groove. The feces and urine are located in the annular groove and are blocked by the annular protrusion 10 and cannot enter the lower chamber 2b.

[0046] In addition, since there will be some large particles when the gas in the lower chamber 2b enters the upper chamber 2a, in order to ensure that all the gas can enter the upper chamber 2a, a fan assembly 12 is installed on the side of the lower plate 7b facing the lower chamber 2b. The fan can blow the large particles into the squirrel cage 6 of the upper chamber 2a and can also make the gas dispersed evenly.

[0047] The upper chamber 2a is provided with a plurality of water bottles 15 at the top of the housing 1, and the drinking openings of the water bottles 15 are located at the mouse cage 6, so that the experimental mice in the mouse cage 6 can drink water when they are thirsty, which is convenient. The lower plate 7b is provided with a food box 16 and water bottles 15 on the side facing the lower chamber 2b, so as to provide food or water for the infected mice in the lower chamber 2b.

[0048] The device can be used to raise mice in an experimental device to achieve the purpose of long-term infection, such as placing it in a secondary or tertiary biosafety cabinet for experiments, and the size of the device matches the secondary or tertiary biosafety cabinet.

[0049] In the present invention, the experimental mice in the transmission group are isolated from each other, which can prevent cross-contamination of the experimental mice in the transmission group; at the same time, the arrangement of the mouse cage 6 ensures the uniformity and consistency of the gas inhaled by multiple experimental mice. The present invention can be used to conduct experiments on disease transmission of pathogens in the form of exhaled droplets of mice and rats, and can realize infection experiments in natural states and diversion states, filling the gap in this regard in China and having good practicality.

[0050] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, any improvements and modifications made without departing from the principle of the present invention should also be regarded as the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A pathogen exhaled droplet transmission experimental device for mice, comprising a housing and a central cavity, characterized in that: A partition is provided in the central cavity, and the partition divides the central cavity into an upper chamber and a lower chamber; The upper chamber is configured to accommodate experimental mice of the transmission group and is provided with a plurality of mouse cages; The squirrel cage comprises a top wall plate, a bottom plate and side wall plates, wherein the bottom plate is arranged toward the partition plate and parallel to the partition plate, the top wall plate and the bottom plate are both provided with openings, and the side wall plates are all closed plates; The lower chamber is configured to accommodate the activities of infected group carrier mice; The partition is provided with through holes respectively communicating with the upper chamber and the lower chamber; The upper wall of the shell is provided with a diffusion port communicating with the upper chamber; The housing comprises an upper shell enclosing the upper chamber and a lower shell enclosing the lower chamber, and the upper shell and the lower shell are connected by a stainless steel lock; A sealing ring is provided between the upper shell and the lower shell; A plurality of said squirrel cages are arranged circumferentially around the vertical axis of said central cavity; The through hole is arranged at the center of the partition, and the axis of the through hole is colinear with the vertical axis of the central cavity; The partition is hollow and includes an upper plate and a lower plate, and the upper plate and the lower plate are connected and cooperated to enclose a receiving cavity; The through hole is arranged on the lower plate; The upper plate is provided with a plurality of mounting holes matching the cage bottom plate, the plurality of mounting holes correspond to the plurality of cages one by one, and the cages are connected with the accommodating cavity through the openings.

2. The exhaled droplet transmission experimental device for pathogens in mice according to claim 1 is characterized in that: A food trough is provided in the upper chamber, and a plurality of the mouse cages are cooperatively connected to the food trough; The mouse cage and the food trough are both provided with food circulation openings that are interconnected; The side of the mouse cage facing away from the feeding trough is a rear cover plate, and the rear cover plate is a closing plate.

3. The exhaled droplet transmission experimental device for pathogens in mice according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The lower plate is provided with an annular protrusion at the edge of the through hole, and a gap is set between the protrusion and the upper plate.

4. The exhaled droplet transmission experimental device for pathogens in mice according to claim 1 is characterized by: A support column is arranged on the bottom plate of the shell, a pad for carrying the infected group of carrier mice is installed on the support column, and a plurality of small holes for circulating the excrement of the infected group of carrier mice are opened on the pad.

5. The exhaled droplet transmission experimental device for pathogens in mice according to claim 1 is characterized by: A fan device is installed on the side of the lower plate facing the lower chamber.

6. The exhaled droplet transmission experimental device for pathogens in mice according to claim 1 is characterized by: The openings on each squirrel cage are arranged in a plurality, and the plurality of openings are arranged evenly along the length direction of the squirrel cage.

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