Abstract
Due to similarities in placentation, guinea pigs can be used as models of human cytomegalovirus infection, but they must be free of guinea pig cytomegalovirus. Many commercial guinea pig colonies are enzootically infected with guinea pig cytomegalovirus, which can be transmitted vertically as well as horizontally through saliva, vaginal secretions, and milk. These characteristics make its eradication in a commercial setting challenging. Because embryo transfer technology in guinea pigs is in its infancy, it is not generally a viable option for obtaining animals free of guinea pig cytomegalovirus. However, a combination of hysterectomy rederivation and testing by PCR assay and serology of both dams and offspring from an enzootically infected colony produced offspring free of guinea pig cytomegalovirus.