It is generally accepted that if the cage environment includes resources

that are relevant for the animals, their welfare is improved when compared to animals housed in standard cages [3]. The impact of such resources can be determined using standard animal welfare research methods such as tests of preference and motivational strength [4]. Traditionally, nesting material would only be given to pregnant and lactating females. However, there is ample evidence that males and non-breeding females also build nests [3], even in the presence of other sheltering structures [5]. Of notice, mice work by key-pressing [6] and overcome their aversion for a grid floor [5] to get access to nesting material. Mice also show a preference for cages with shelters [3] and work for access to a cage structured with a plastic nest box [7]. Studies as Selleckchem Staurosporine these form the fundament for the recent

European recommendation according to which mice should be given access to nesting material and refuges [8]. Although the scientific community acknowledges that mouse Opaganib research buy well-being is enhanced by using enriched cages, there is the obvious concern that altering the housing conditions of laboratory rodents may influence the experimental results [9, 10]. The major concern regards the disruption of standardization and the loss of precision and reproducibility, in the case variability increases in enriched cages triclocarban [11]. The few available reports are inconclusive:

there are single studies indicating an increased variation in enriched cages [10, 12] but two large inter-laboratory studies showing no evidence for such an increase [11, 13]. Another concern is that a change in housing conditions may cause stress. In fact, there is a sizeable body of evidence showing that, in general, animals housed in enriched cages show reduced stress [14]. This may in turn influence experimental variables that are affected by stress, such as the basal level of blood corticosteroids, behaviour or even some parameters of the immune system [15, 16]. Because infectious diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the world, [17] it is expectable that a large number of animals will continue to be used to study the immune response to infection. Of the 21.1 million animals used for research in the European Union in 2005, 31% were used for research and development in medicine (human and veterinary) [18]. Infections caused by bacteria from the Mycobacterium genus are among the leading causes of illness and death because of infectious diseases [19].