EBVS European College diplomas (e.g. DipECVS, DipECVIM-CA) · Europe · European Board of Veterinary Specialisation and the individual colleges
Original practice questions written to the published syllabus · not past papersBiology, housing and health monitoring of laboratory animals, their common diseases, the 3Rs, ethics committees and experimental techniques.
In the exams: EAEVE Day One competence on the 3Rs; ACLAM and ECLAM specialist colleges
How our questions for EBVS European College diplomas spread across the units of Laboratory Animal Science & Medicine. Difficulty: 7 easy, 20 medium, 25 hard.
| The 3Rs: replacement, reduction and refinement | 8 | |
| Experimental techniques | 8 | |
| Biology of laboratory species | 6 | |
| Housing of laboratory animals | 6 | |
| Health monitoring | 6 | |
| Animal ethics committees: CPCSEA, IACUC and EU Directive 2010/63 | 6 | |
| Tyzzer's disease | 4 | |
| Murine respiratory mycoplasmosis | 4 | |
| Pasteurellosis | 4 |
Choose an answer, then open the working. Each explanation says why the right answer is right and why the others are not.
An IVC rack for mice that carry a transmissible allergen-heavy phenotype is to be run so that staff and the room are protected from the animals. How should it be set?
D. At negative pressure relative to the room, with cages opened only in a cabinet
Negative-pressure IVCs draw air into the cage so leaks go inward, protecting the room and staff; opening cages in a ventilated cabinet completes the protection. Positive pressure protects the animals, not the people, and returning exhaust to the room defeats the purpose.
Further reading: NRC Guide, 8th ed.; IVC literature
For laboratory mice, which single enrichment item is regarded as the most valuable?
B. Nesting material
Mice are strongly motivated to build nests, which also help them regulate temperature. Running wheels are debated because wheel running can become stereotypic and affects physiology; mirrors and changing toys add little and may introduce variation.
Further reading: NRC Guide, 8th ed.; Directive 2010/63/EU Annex III
Which monitoring method samples material from the exhaust plenum of an individually ventilated cage rack and tests it by PCR?
C. Exhaust air dust testing
Exhaust air dust testing uses swabs or filter media from the rack exhaust and PCR; it detects some agents missed by bedding sentinels and can reduce the number of sentinel animals. Soiled-bedding and contact sentinels are live animals; colony serology tests the colony animals' blood.
Further reading: Exhaust air dust monitoring literature
At necropsy of a young rat that died after brief diarrhoea, the terminal ileum is markedly dilated, flaccid and hyperaemic, and the liver has scattered pale foci. What is this intestinal lesion called and what is the likely cause?
D. Megaloileitis due to Clostridium piliforme
Megaloileitis with multifocal hepatic necrosis is the rat presentation of Tyzzer's disease. Proliferative ileitis is a thickened, not flaccid, ileum mainly in hamsters; Helicobacter and Citrobacter affect the caecum and colon and do not cause this liver picture with ileal dilation.
Further reading: Barthold et al., Pathology of Laboratory Rodents and Rabbits
Which of these infectious agents is a recognised cofactor that worsens murine respiratory mycoplasmosis?
C. Filobacterium rodentium, the cilia-associated respiratory bacillus
The CAR bacillus colonises the same ciliated airway surfaces and, with Sendai virus and rat coronaviruses, aggravates MRM. Syphacia is a pinworm, E. cuniculi a rabbit microsporidian and Eimeria stiedae causes hepatic coccidiosis in rabbits.
Further reading: Barthold et al., Pathology of Laboratory Rodents and Rabbits
A rabbit seropositive by ELISA for Pasteurella multocida is clinically normal. How should the result be interpreted?
A. It shows exposure, not necessarily current disease; the rabbit could be a carrier
Serology detects exposure and is used to screen colonies and select seronegative stock, but a seropositive animal may be a healthy carrier. Oral ampicillin is contraindicated in rabbits because it causes enterotoxaemia, and antibody does not prevent carriage.
Further reading: Fox et al., Laboratory Animal Medicine
The organism long called Pasteurella pneumotropica, an opportunist in mice and rats, has been reclassified. What is it now called, and where does it cause the most disease?
B. Rodentibacter pneumotropicus; mainly in immunodeficient mice
In 2017 P. pneumotropica was moved to the new genus Rodentibacter (R. pneumotropicus and R. heylii). It causes conjunctivitis, abscesses, mastitis and pneumonia mainly in immunodeficient mice. Filobacterium rodentium is the CAR bacillus, a different organism.
Further reading: Adhikary et al., 2017; FELASA recommendations
Which in vitro method can replace the rabbit pyrogen test and also detects pyrogens other than bacterial endotoxin?
B. The monocyte activation test
The monocyte activation test uses human monocytes to detect endotoxin and non-endotoxin pyrogens. The amoebocyte lysate test detects endotoxin only; the LLNA is a skin sensitisation test in mice; BCOP is an eye irritation method.
Further reading: European Pharmacopoeia; EURL ECVAM
In an establishment licensed under the UK Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, which named person is primarily responsible for the day-to-day care and welfare of the animals?
A. The Named Animal Care and Welfare Officer (NACWO)
The NACWO oversees day-to-day husbandry and welfare; the Named Veterinary Surgeon provides veterinary advice and care. The NIO handles information and the project licence holder directs the scientific programme; inspectors are regulators, not establishment staff.
Further reading: Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, as amended 2012
Which blood sampling method in rodents requires general anaesthesia and is restricted or discouraged in many establishments?
B. Retro-orbital sinus or plexus sampling
Retro-orbital sampling requires anaesthesia and risks injury to the eye and orbit, so many establishments restrict it. Saphenous, tail and submandibular veins are conscious recovery sites when performed by trained staff.
Further reading: Diehl et al., 2001; NC3Rs blood sampling guidance
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