Prothrombin Time, Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time, and Fibrinogen Reference Intervals for Inbred Strain 13/N Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus) and Validation of Low Volume Sample Analysis

Jillian A Condrey; Timothy Flietstra; Kaitlyn M Nestor; Elizabeth L Schlosser; JoAnn D Coleman-McCray; Sarah C Genzer; Stephen R Welch; Jessica R Spengler

doi:10.3390/microorganisms8081127

Prothrombin Time, Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time, and Fibrinogen Reference Intervals for Inbred Strain 13/N Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus) and Validation of Low Volume Sample Analysis

Microorganisms. 2020 Jul 27;8(8):1127. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms8081127.

Authors

Jillian A Condrey¹, Timothy Flietstra², Kaitlyn M Nestor¹, Elizabeth L Schlosser¹, JoAnn D Coleman-McCray², Sarah C Genzer¹, Stephen R Welch², Jessica R Spengler²

Affiliations

¹ Comparative Medicine Branch, Division of Scientific Resources, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
² Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.

Abstract

Inbred strain 13/N guinea pigs are used as small animal models for the study of hemorrhagic fever viruses. Coagulation abnormalities, including prolonged clotting times and bleeding, are characteristic of hemorrhagic fever in humans; patients often meet criteria for disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Comprehensively evaluating coagulation function is critical in model development and studies of viral pathogenesis and therapeutic efficacy. Here, using the VetScan VSpro veterinary point-of-care platform, we developed reference intervals in both juvenile and adult strain 13/N guinea pigs for three coagulation parameters: prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and fibrinogen. In addition, for situations or species with limited availability of blood for clinical analysis, we investigated the validity of a modified collection approach for low-volume (0.1 mL) blood sample analysis of PT and aPTT.

Keywords: Cavia porcellus; VetScan VSpro; activated partial thromboplastin time; animal model; clotting; coagulation; fibrinogen; guinea pig; hemorrhagic fever; prothrombin time; strain 13/N.