Spontaneous otitis media in Wistar rats: an overlooked pathology in otological research

The rat is commonly employed in otological research, but spontaneous ear infections can confound the results of experimental procedures--wasting time, money, and animals. The authors focus on the incidence of spontaneous otitis media in Wistar rats. They compare disease incidence in animals housed in standard cages with those housed in barrier units, showing that 20% of their conventionally housed animals developed spontaneous otitis media, whereas only 5% of their animals housed in isolated units were infected. These results underscore the importance of strict control of the shipping, housing conditions, and manipulation of animals to be used in otological research.