A Survey of Disease in Laboratory Animals

Abstract
Summary A questionnaire on disease in laboratory animals was sent to 46 research establishments. Forty questionnaires were returned which gave data on 3 055 448 animals of more than 20 species bred or purchased throughout a period of one year. These included 2 259 044 mice, 512 930 rats, 161 620 guinea-pigs and 35 723 rabbits. Replies from 18 laboratories stated that some specified-pathogen-free animals were kept. In the more commonly used species the average mortality due to spontaneous disease before use was usually greater than 10 per cent: most of the deaths occurred in un-weaned animals. Although the data returned in the questionnaires were insufficient to permit an assessment of the overall incidence of diseases on a quantitative basis, figures from individual laboratories indicated that certain diseases were widespread.

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