Development of the Cotton Rat as an Animal Model

The cotton rat has been used in biomedical research since 1937, when it became the first smallanimal model of endemic typhus. Since then, it has been shown to be susceptible to infection by aremarkably wide spectrum of human and rodent pathogens. Of greatest current interest is its use asa model of human respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza virus type 3 and adenoviruses; of genetherapy of cystic fibrosis and alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency; of filariasis; of pineal gland research; andof environmental toxicity. Use of the cotton rat, however, has been severely restricted due to lack ofa commercial source of animals, an inbred cotton rat and immunologic reagents. We now providesinbred cotton rats commercially. The development of these reagents will greatly increase the utilizationof the cotton rat as a model for a wide spectrum of human diseases.