Eradication of Helicobacter bilis and H. hepaticus from infected mice by using a medicated diet.
Infection of laboratory mice with Helicobacter spp. is a serious problem for many laboratory animal facilities worldwide. Rederivation and antibiotic treatment are two of the most common methods used to eliminate the bacterial infection from rodent colonies. Forty-seven newly imported mice were suspected to be positive for Helicobacter infection based on PCR analysis of pooled fecal samples from sentinel animals. We treated the mice with a medicated feed containing four antibiotic compounds (amoxicillin, clarithromycin, metronidazole, omeprazole). After eight weeks of continuous administration the animals were negative for H. bilis and H. hepaticus. Frequent retesting of the animals for up to one year proved that the mouse colony remained negative for Helicobacter spp.
Kostomitsopoulos
Nikolaos
N
Center for Experimental Surgery, Foundation for Biomedical Research, Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Ephesius Street, 115 27 Athens, Greece. nkostom@bioacademy.gr
Donnelly
Harry
H
Kostavasili
Ioanna
I
Paronis
Euthimios
E
Alexakos
Paul
P
Karayannacos
Panayotis
P
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D044923:Helicobacter hepaticus / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial