An alternative method for the decontamination of rats carrying Mycoplasma pulmonis without the use of germfree isolators.
Two strains of Lewis rat were successfully freed from Mycoplasma pulmonis infection by using a combination of oral treatment with oxytetracycline hydrochloride and obtaining young by hysterectomy. Laminar flow cabinets were used to perform hysterectomies on donor animals and for rearing hysterectomy-derived animals. After thorough microbiological examination the rats were brought to the breeding colony of the Laboratory Animal Centre. Periodic laboratory tests using both cultural and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods showed that the animals have remained free from M. pulmonis for the last 3 years.
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005856:Germ-Free Life; D006799:Housing, Animal; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000662:veterinary; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010118:Oxytetracycline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew
D010118:Oxytetracycline