What are rats vaccinated against? - briefly
Rats are not routinely vaccinated, but laboratory and breeding colonies may be immunized against specific pathogens such as Sendai virus, rat coronavirus, leptospirosis and salmonellosis.
What are rats vaccinated against? - in detail
Rats receive immunizations primarily to protect research colonies from infectious agents that can compromise experimental integrity. The most common preventive measures involve vaccines or prophylactic protocols targeting viruses, bacteria, and parasites known to spread readily among rodents.
- Sendai virus (murine parainfluenza) – inactivated vaccine administered to breeding stock to prevent respiratory outbreaks.
- Rat coronavirus – live‑attenuated vaccine used in high‑risk facilities to reduce morbidity and mortality from enteric disease.
- Mycoplasma pulmonis – killed‑cell vaccine applied to pregnant females to limit vertical transmission and chronic respiratory infection.
- Rat cytomegalovirus (RCMV) – subunit vaccine incorporated into colony‑maintenance programs to avoid subclinical immunosuppression.
- Rat parvovirus – inactivated preparation employed in sentinel programs for early detection and control.
- Pinworm (Syphacia obvelata) – oral anthelmintic formulated as a prophylactic dose, often combined with other parasite controls.
In addition to these targeted products, many institutions rely on pathogen‑free breeding programs that eliminate the need for routine vaccination. Such colonies are maintained under strict barrier conditions, with regular serological testing to confirm the absence of the listed agents.
Pet rats are rarely vaccinated because commercial vaccines are not widely available. Owners who seek protection against zoonotic threats may opt for rabies vaccination in regions where wildlife exposure is high, although this is administered off‑label and under veterinary supervision.
Experimental vaccine research frequently uses rats as model organisms. Studies have evaluated candidates for human diseases such as influenza, hepatitis, and COVID‑19, demonstrating the species’ suitability for immunogenicity testing but not implying routine immunization of the animals themselves.
Overall, immunization strategies for rats focus on a limited set of viral and bacterial pathogens that jeopardize colony health, supplemented by stringent biosecurity measures rather than broad‑spectrum vaccination programs.