MICROBIOLOGY OF HIBERNATION IN GROUND SQUIRRELS 



SUMMARY 



The effect of reduced temperatures (associated with hibernation) 

 on the normal bacterial flora and on the fate of specific viral agents 

 which were artificially introduced into ground squirrels has been 

 studied. The data indicate that a gradual increase in the number of 

 psychrophiles and a simultaneous decrease in the number of con- 

 form bacilli occurs during hibernation. No change, which could be 

 associated with hibernation, was noted in either the total cell count 

 or the number of fecal streptococci. 



The viral studies demonstrated that hibernation appears to ex- 

 tend the period of time during which the specific agents tested could 

 be recovered from animals following artificial administration. 



LITERATURE CITED 



1. Brock, Mary Ann. 1960. Production and life span of erythrocytes 



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2. Dempster, G., E. Irene Grodums, and W. A. Spencer. 1961. Ex- 



perimental Coxsackie B-3 infection in the hibernating ground 

 squirrel and bat. Canad. J. Microbiol, 7: 587-594, 



3. Ingraham, J. L., and J. L. Stokes. 1959. Psychrophilic bacteria. 



Bacterid. Rev. 23: 97-108. 



4. Jaroslow, B. N., and D. E.Smith. 1961. Antigen disappearance in 



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6: 439-461. 



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