Nasal turbinate atrophy in young mice inoculated with Bordetella bronchiseptica of pig origin.

Development of a model in experimental small animals will facilitate research on the mechanisms of nasal turbinate atrophy of swine. Atrophy of the nasal turbinate with Bordetella bronchiseptica phase I organisms of pig origin was induced by intranasal inoculation in 5-day-old or younger mice. Inoculations of phase I organisms into 10-day-old or older mice and of avirulent phase III organisms into 5-day-old or younger mice did not induce lesions of the disease, however. The lesions appeared in 40% of the susceptible-age mice which were examined at 2 weeks after inoculation and were present in 80% of the susceptible-age mice by 3 weeks. The lesions observed in young mice were similar to those reported for swine.