Elimination of mycoplasmas from mouse myeloma cells by intraperitoneal passage in mice and by antibiotic treatment.

Intraperitoneal passage in mice and antibiotic treatment were evaluated alone and in combination for elimination of mycoplasma contamination of mouse myeloma cell cultures. Intentional infections were established by inoculating Mycoplasma arginini, M. fermentans, M. hyorhinis and M. orale into cell cultures. Successful elimination of mycoplasmas was achieved with all strains tested by intraperitoneal passage in mice, however, cells infected with M. hyorhinis did not survive the infection long enough to be tested. Clindamycin and lincomycin cured cells infected with M. arginini, M. hyorhinis, M. orale but not M. fermentans. M. fermentans were resistant to all antibiotics tested, but could be partially suppressed by clindamycin long enough to permit curing by in vivo passage. M. arginini was eliminated by all antibiotics tested. In vivo passage and treatment with antibiotics is an efficient combination of methods for mycoplasma elimination from cell cultures and has the advantage of being simple and inexpensive.