PASTEURELLOSIS IN WHITE MICE*

                                        BY

                 V. R. RAJAGOPALAN, G. M. V. C.

                                     AND

             V. R. GOPALAKRISHNAN, G. M. V. C.

Imperial Veterinary Research Institute, Mukteswar-Kumaun.

        (Received for publication on 7th February, 1939)

                            (With Plate XXIII)

DURING the month of August 1937, an epizootic occurred in the white
mice bred and maintained for experimental purposes at the Imperial Veteri-
nary Research Institute, Mukteswar. Materials from a number of animals
that died were submitted to bacteriological examination and from all these
an organism of the Pasteurella group was isolated. The object of this paper is
to give the cultural, biochemical and serological characters and to record some
salient facts in regard to the identity of the organism.

The outbreak was first noticed in the middle of August and the course of
the disease was so acute that some were stated to have died within a few hours ;
young as well as old mice were found to be the victims. Immediate adoption
of hygienic and other precautionary measures helped considerably in limiting
the spread of infection.

                                NECROPSY

Post-mortem findings were uniform in all cases excepting slight variations
in the degree of severity of the lesions. The general condition of the animals
was fair with the exception of a few that appeared slightly anaemic.
On opening the carcase numerous haemorrhagic spots were noticed over the
peritoneum and pleura. A drop or two of sero-sanguinous fluid was often
present. Pneumonic lesions were found in the lungs, which in most cases were
consolidated. In two instances the lungs were adherent to the chest wall. The
bronchii contained a few inflammatory patches, coated with dirty white frothy
discharge. The pericardial sac presented a few petechiae. The liver was
usually congested, enlarged and slightly friable and was deep brown in colour.
The spleen was dark in colour, deeply congested and distinctly enlarged.
The parenchyma appeared soft and even the slightest pressure burst the cover-

            * Paper read at the Indian Science Congress, 1939.

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