Objective To understand the virulence of Pasteurella multocida isolates from the wild rodents in a rodent epidemic in Simao of Yunnan province in 2016.
Methods Two strains of P. multocida were isolated from dead wild rodents, which belonged to serotype A and F by molecular typing. Balb/C mice were inoculated with the two strains and their mixture (1∶1) by routine challenge test, and the median lethal dose (LD50) of each group was calculated.
Results The LD50 of P. multocida serotype A, serotype F strains and their mixture to Balb/C mice were 1.1×102, 5.0×106 and 5.8×102. By statistical analysis, the virulence of serotype A strain was strongest, and the virulence of serotype F strain was lower than that of serotype A strain and the mixture.
Conclusion P. multocida serogroup A and F strains isolated in this rodent epidemic had strong virulence to Balb/C mice, especially serotype A strain, belonging to very virulent P. multocida.