Natural history of infection with Pasteurella multocida in rabbits.

Monitoring of rabbits at a commercial rabbitry for Pasteurella multocida infection revealed that the nares of 10 litters of New Zealand White rabbits were not colonized before weaning at 8 weeks of age, regardless of whether or not the does were infected. The earliest nasal infection was detected at 12 weeks of age, and by 22 weeks of age, 23% had P multocida infection. Rhinitis developed 2 or more weeks after infection was detected in most rabbits. A survey of 76 adult rabbits in the breeding colony revealed that 72% had P multocida infection. In 31 rabbits with rhinitis, 90% were infected, whereas in 55 rabbits with P multocida infection, only 50% had rhinitis. During the period of surveillance, there was an epizootic of rhinitis caused by P multocida. All age groups except preweanlings were affected. Serotyping of 29 isolates of P multocida revealed that 93% were somatic type 12. Surveillance of rabbits for pasteurellosis at a laboratory animal facility revealed that the following clinical syndromes developed in decreasing order of magnitude: rhinitis, conjunctivitis, abscesses, and otitis media.