THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF A RABBIT RESPIRATORY INFECTION : III. NASAL FLORA OF LABORATORY RABBITS

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Veterinary Science

Background:

• The nasal flora of laboratory animals is crucial for understanding respiratory health.
• Identifying common bacterial inhabitants provides a baseline for disease studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enumerate and identify the predominant bacteria in the nasal flora of rabbits at the Rockefeller Institute.
• To determine the specific bacterial species associated with snuffles in rabbits.

Main Methods:

• Bacterial enumeration and identification from nasal swabs.
• Classification based on Gram staining and fermentation characteristics.
• Correlation of bacterial presence with clinical signs of snuffles.

Main Results:

• The most frequent bacteria identified were the Micrococcus catarrhalis group (80%) and Bacterium lepisepticum (70%).
• Gram-negative cocci and other bacteria like Staphylococci and Streptococci were found in lower percentages (40% and 10%, respectively).
• Bacterium lepisepticum was identified as the predominant organism in rabbits affected with snuffles.

Conclusions:

• The nasal flora of these rabbits is dominated by specific bacterial groups.
• Bacterium lepisepticum plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of rabbit snuffles.