Seven female Sprague–Dawley
rats (200–300 g) fed on a standard pellet diet and water were
used in the study, which was approved by the Local Ethical Committee
for Laboratory Animals (Dnr 1091/17). The animals were housed together
(2–3 rats/cage) and kept at the infection unit at the animal
facility with daily supervision. Anesthesia was induced by isoflurane
inhalation (4% with air flow of 650 mL/min) and maintained with continuous
administration of isoflurane (∼2% with an air flow of 450 mL/min)
via a mask (Univentor 400 anesthesia unit, Univentor, Zejtun, Malta).
The back of the rats was shaved and cleaned with chlorhexidine (5
mg/mL; Fresenius Kabi, Norway). On the back of the rats, six separate
incisions were made and pockets created by blunt dissection in the
soft tissue under the skin into which hydrogel disks were inserted.
rats (200–300 g) fed on a standard pellet diet and water were
used in the study, which was approved by the Local Ethical Committee
for Laboratory Animals (Dnr 1091/17). The animals were housed together
(2–3 rats/cage) and kept at the infection unit at the animal
facility with daily supervision. Anesthesia was induced by isoflurane
inhalation (4% with air flow of 650 mL/min) and maintained with continuous
administration of isoflurane (∼2% with an air flow of 450 mL/min)
via a mask (Univentor 400 anesthesia unit, Univentor, Zejtun, Malta).
The back of the rats was shaved and cleaned with chlorhexidine (5
mg/mL; Fresenius Kabi, Norway). On the back of the rats, six separate
incisions were made and pockets created by blunt dissection in the
soft tissue under the skin into which hydrogel disks were inserted.