An alternative method for the decontamination of rats carrying Mycoplasma pulmonis without the use of germfree isolators

Abstract

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.