[Efforts by the Japanese Association for Laboratory Animal Technologists to pass on the techniques of animal experimentation to the next generation].

In recent years, civil society has begun to waver in its trust in the basic principle of ensuring reproducibility in scientific research. In particular, "standardization of techniques" has become an issue in many fields related to laboratory animals and animal experiments, which are premised on the existence of animal lives that are injured, pained, and sacrificed for the sake of scientific research. We, laboratory animal technicians, are always the closest to laboratory animals. We always have practiced breeding management, pre- and post-operative care, experimental treatment etc. by making the best use of our knowledge and techniques. That bring accurate experimental results. It is our significance. Technology is only meaningful if passed down to the next generation. In this report, I would like to introduce the technical seminars conducted by the Japan Association for Laboratory Animal Technicians, a national organization of laboratory animal technicians, and the pursuit of "skills to pass on" in these sessions.

Risk assessment for hepatitis E virus infection from domestic pigs introduced into an experimental animal facility in a medical school.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is known to cause zoonotic infections from pigs, wild boars and deer. Domestic pigs have been used as an experimental animal model in medical research and training; however, the risks of HEV infection from pigs during animal experiments are largely unknown. Here, we retrospectively investigated the seroprevalence and detection rates of viral RNA in 73 domestic pigs (average 34.5 kg) introduced into an animal experimental facility in a medical school during 2012-2016. We detected anti-HEV immunoglobulin G antibodies in 24 of 73 plasma samples (32.9%), though none of the samples were positive for viral RNA. Plasma samples of 18 pigs were sequentially monitored and were classified into four patterns: sustained positive (5 pigs), sustained negative (5 pigs), conversion to positive (6 pigs) and conversion to negative (2 pigs). HEV genomes were detected in 2 of 4 liver samples from pigs that were transported from the same farm during 2016-2017. Two viral sequences of the overlapping open reading frame (ORF) 2/3 region (97 bp) were identical and phylogenetically fell into genotype 3. A 459-bp length of the ORF2 region of an amplified fragment from a pig transported in 2017 was clustered with the wbJYG1 isolate (subgenotype 3b) with 91.5% (420/459 bp) nucleotide identity. Based on our results, we suggest that domestic pigs introduced into animal facilities carry a potential risk of HEV infection to researchers, trainees and facility staff. Continuous surveillance and precautions are important to prevent HEV infection in animal facilities.