IMPACT: PCR-based Alternative to MAP testing 

Contamination of biological specimens, such as cell lines, hybridomas and tumor cells, with rodent pathogens can result in devastating outbreaks of disease in laboratory animals implanted with these materials and confounding and deleterious effects on tissue culture-based experiments.

The traditional method for testing biological specimens for murine pathogens has been the Mouse Antibody Production (MAP) test. The major disadvantage of MAP testing is the 6 to 8 weeks required to get results. To address this issue, our laboratory has developed the Infectious Microbe PCR AmplifiCation Test or IMPACT, which is a panel of PCR assays that detects murine pathogens. Comparison of IMPACT results with MAP testing results for representative DNA and RNA viruses indicated that the sensitivity of the IMPACT was equal or greater than that of MAP testing.

• Turnaround time for IMPACT results is 5 business days.
• The cost of testing by the IMPACT is markedly lower than commercial MAP testing.