Experimental respiratory infection with Pasteurella multocida and Bordetella bronchiseptica in rabbits
Watson, W.T.; Goldsboro, J.A.; Williams, F.P.; Sueur, R.
Laboratory Animal Science 25(4): 459-464
1975
ISSN/ISBN: 0023-6764 PMID: 1171337 Document Number: 90512
Eight-to-10-wk-old offspring of a colony of specific pathogen free rabbits were exposed to cultures of Pasteurella multocida and Bordetella bronchiseptica. Two groups of 9 animals each were exposed to cultures of either species of bacteria intranasally and killed 2, 7, 14, and 21 days postinoculation. Five of 9 rabbits in each group developed a mucopurulent nasal discharge 4-7 days postinoculation. The remaining 4 rabbits in each group failed to develop clinical signs. The gross and microscopic lesions did not differ in character or distribution among the inoculated rabbits. The infection was characterized by an acute upper respiratory syndrome accompanied by a mild bronchopneumonia.