Serological surveys of Corynebacterium kutscheri infection in mice and rats

Serological surveys of mice and rats naturally infected with Corynebacterium kutscheri were performed by examining serum samples collected from breeder and laboratory colonies between 1981 and 1983. Among 756 mice from 73 conventional colonies, only 4 animals (0.5%) from 3 colonies (4.1%) developed C. kutscheri antibody of 1:40 to 1:2, 560 titers. Three of them suffered from abscess caused by the organism. Regarding a titer of 1:40 or higher as reliably positive, 87 (13.0%) of 669 conventional rats or 20 (32.8%) of 61 colonies were found to be infected with the organism. The antibodies were detected in both types of animals older than 6 months of age. No lesions caused by C. kutscheri were found in almost all the rats examined. Germ-free and SPF mice and rats were all negative for antibody at 1:5 serum dilution.