EPIDEMIC DIARRHEAL DISEASE OF SUCKLING MICE : I. MANIFESTATIONS, EPIDEMIOLOGY, AND ATTEMPTS TO TRANSMIT THE DISEASE

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Pathology
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Background:

• An infectious disease outbreak occurred in a mouse colony.
• The disease presented significant eradication challenges compared to other mouse infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the nature and control of a challenging infectious disease in mice.
• To understand factors influencing disease susceptibility and resistance.

Main Methods:

• Observational study of disease progression and susceptibility within a mouse colony.
• Analysis of litter-specific disease incidence and resistance patterns.

Main Results:

• The disease was highly infectious with considerable difficulty in eradication.
• First litters showed a marked tendency towards greater susceptibility.
• Increasing resistance was observed in subsequent litters, suggesting a potential management strategy.

Conclusions:

• The infectious disease in mice was challenging to eradicate, with varying susceptibility across litters.
• Potential management strategies leveraging increasing resistance were hampered by stock loss.
• Further research into the disease's etiology and basic disease mechanisms is warranted despite experimental difficulties.