Seromonitoring in small laboratory animal colonies. A five year survey: 1984-1988

From 1984 to 1988 one thousand serologic investigations of laboratory animal colonies originating from 10 different European countries were performed. The most prevalent infections in mouse stocks were caused by Mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), Minute virus of mice (MVM), Theiler's encephalomyelitis virus (TEMV), Reovirus type 3 (Reo3), Sendaivirus, and Pneumonia virus of mice (PVM). In mice no infections with Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCM), Polyomavirus, Mouse adenovirus, and K-virus were recorded. Only two colonies were infected by Ectromelia virus. The first six virus infections of mice were also found in rat colonies as well as the rat-specific Coronaviruses (Sialodacryoadenitisvirus--SDA, Rat corona virus--RCV) and Parvovirus (Kilham rat virus--KRV, Toolan H-1 virus) being endemic. Antibodies to Bacillus piliformis were detectable in about 50% of rat stocks screened. This is in contrast to the mouse, where only about 10% of the colonies were found to be positive. A similar picture was seen for M. pulmonis which is primarily an infection of the rat. In mice no case was detected during the last two years. The number of investigations performed from guineapig, hamster and rabbit colonies was relatively low. Nevertheless, antibodies against the following antigens were detectable: In guineapig stocks: Reo3, PVM, Sendai, Simian virus 5 (SV5) and B. piliformis; in rabbits: Reo3, Sendavirus, SV5, and B. piliformis; in hamsters: PVM, LCM and B. piliformis. The overall contamination rate showed a continuous decrease until 1988. Nevertheless, about 50% of mouse and rat stocks still exhibited antibodies to one or more viral infections.