Objective To evaluate the effect of the individual ventilated cage (IVC) changing standard operating procedure ( SOP) for viral pathogen transmission in laboratory mice. Methods Six-week-old male BALB/ c mice were infected with mouse hepatitis virus (MHV, A59 strain). The infection status of these infected mice and sentinel mice in close cages on the same shelf, in cages on a different shelf but in the same IVC system, and outside the IVC system but in the same facility were monitored. Serological conversion of MHV antibodies was detected using immunofluorescent antibody reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. MHV in mouse feces was detected using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results MHV nuclear acid was detected 6 d after infection in the artificial infected mice, and serological conversion was detected 3 weeks postinfection. At 5 weeks postinfection, there was no positive detection in sentinel mice. Conclusions The IVC-changing SOP is useful for pathogen transmission management in laboratory mice.