Natural Pathogens of Laboratory Mice and Rats and Their Effects on Research

Credit:

This document was written by Dr. D. Baker,(DLAM, School of Vet. Med., LSU) and subsequently reformatted, modified (original document also gave references to diseases of rabbits) and webbed for this site by Gary Brown. This has been put together for all the transgenic or other mouse researchers out there who have had to explain why colony infections are not just bad for the welfare of the animals concerned, but may invalidate the ongoing studies as well.

Index

SUMMARY and INTRODUCTION

Respiratory System

Viruses (i) Pneumonia virus of mice. (ii) Sendai virus.

Bacteria. (i) CAR bacillus. (ii) Klebsiella pneumoniae. (iii) Mycoplasma pulmonis. (iv) Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Fungi. i) Pneumocystis carinii.

Digestive System

Viruses. (i) Cytomegalovirus. (ii) Mouse parvovirus type 1. (iii) Mouse rotavirus. (iv) Rat rotavirus-like agent. (v) Mouse thymic virus. (vi) Reovirus type 3.

Bacteria. (i) Helicobacter spp. (ii) Citrobacter rodentium. (iii) Clostridium piliforme. (iv) Pseudomonas aeruginosa. (v) Salmonella enteritidis.

Parasites. (i) Giardia muris. (ii) Spironucleus muris. (iii) Oxyuriasis (pinworms).

Dermal System

Viruses. (i) Mouse mammary tumor virus.

Bacteria. (i) Pasteurella pneumotropica. (ii) Staphylococcus aureus. (iii) Corynebacterium spp. in athymic mice.

Parasites. (i) Acariasis (mite infestation).

Hematopoietic System

Viruses. (i) Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. (ii) Lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus.

Central Nervous System

Viruses. (i) Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus.

Multiple and Miscellaneous Systems

Viruses. (i) Adenoviruses. (ii) Ectromelia virus. (iii) H-1 virus. (iv) Kilham rat virus. (v) Minute virus of mice. (vi) Mouse hepatitis virus. (vii) Sialodacryoadenitis virus.

Bacteria. (i) Corynebacterium kutscheri.

Parasites. (i) Encephalitozoon cuniculi.

---

ANIMAL HOUSING FOR PATHOGEN EXCLUSION OR CONTAINMENT

HEALTH-MONITORING PROGRAMS

FUTURE TRENDS