Histopathological and molecular diagnosis of Mycoplasma sp. infection in rats kept in a conventional animal facility

Abstract

The chronic infection by Mycoplasma pulmonis is frequently found in rats kept in conventional premises and may influence the results of the experiments conducted using these animals. During the clinical presentation of the infection animals develop among other manifestations clinical signs of respiratory system impairment. On the present study, we report the diagnosis the histopathological and molecular diagnosis of Mycoplasma sp. infection in Wistar rats both presenting clinical signs of infection and health animals kept in the same colony. The efficacy of therapeutic and prophylactic actions is discussed.