Establishment of specific pathogen-free rabbit colonies with limited-florarabbits associated with conventional rabbit flora, and monitoring of theircecal flora

In the present study we attempted to establish specific-pathogen-free (SPF) rabbit breeding colonies with two groups or limited-flora (LF) rabbits, bo th ex-germfree rabbits, and their offspring. Two groups of LF rabbits assoc iated with cecal flora of conventional (CV) rabbits produced in a previous study [Exp. Animals, submitted], were transferred to individual barrier roo ms and some of the LF rabbits were accomodated in isolators to maintain the basic flora for SPF rabbits. The composition of the cecal flora of LF rabb its was stable for a long period; bacteroides remained predominant and clos tridia dominant From the SPF rabbits, different types of bacteria, e.g., en terobacteriaceae and streptococci, which could not be isolated in the isola tor were detected at a low population level at an early stage in the establ ishment of the SPF colonies, but the basic composition of the cecal flora w as mainly bacteroidaceae and clostridia and did not change over a long peri od, and the floral composition became similar to that of CV rabbits. The fe rtility and weaning rates of the SPF rabbits were satisfactory for a SPF ra bbit colony. In addition, these SPF colonies were free of more than one yea r rabbit-specific pathogens.