Abstract
Rat theilovirus is a commonly reported infection in research rat colonies. The author's institution experienced an outbreak of rat theilovirus in a breeding colony of unique outbred rats. To manage this outbreak, the institution chose to use a 'test and cull' strategy because this approach is reported to be successful in mouse colonies infected with Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus, a related virus. Here the author describes the outbreak and subsequent management of rat theilovirus. The strategy successfully cleared the virus from the rat colony.
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Acknowledgements
I thank Drs. Britton and Koch and their laboratory staff for the exemplary care they provide to their research animals.
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Dyson, M. Management of an outbreak of rat theilovirus. Lab Anim 39, 155–157 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/laban0510-155
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/laban0510-155