Handbook of Laboratory Animal Bacteriology

Book excerpt: Handbook of Laboratory Animal Bacteriology isolates bacteria in laboratory rodents and rabbits to assist veterinary pathologists and other animal caretakers in the management of these organisms. This book emphasizes those bacteria known to interfere with research protocols, and offers methods for isolation and differentiation among related bacteria. It also enables the bacteriologist to isolate and identify bacteria being part of the normal flora of these animals. In the first part of the book, information is given on how to sample and cultivate from the animals. Hereafter, general descriptions on various identification procedures are given. Topics include sampling and isolation techniques, staining methods, serology, PCR and other important tools. In the second part of the book, important laboratory animal bacteria have been described in relation to both characteristics of the agent and characteristics of infection. All categories of bacteria are systematically dealt with in order to help in their isolation and identification when examining rodents and rabbits. Traditional lab animals (mice, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils and rabbits) harbor bacteria different from those found in humans and farm animals. Handbook of Laboratory Animal Bacteriology is an invaluable guide bacteriological monitoring of research colonies.