The pathophysiology of inhalational brucellosis in BALB/c mice

Sci Rep. 2012:2:495. doi: 10.1038/srep00495. Epub 2012 Jul 6.

Abstract

To characterize the clinical presentation and pathophysiology of inhalational brucellosis, Balb/c mice were challenged with Brucella melitensis 16M in a nose-only aerosol exposure chamber. A low dose of 1000 cfu/animal of B. melitensis resulted in 45% of mice with tissue burdens eight weeks post-challenge. The natural history of brucellosis in mice challenged by higher aerosol doses was examined by serial euthanizing mice over an eight week period. Higher challenge doses of 1.00E+05 and 5.00E+05 cfu resulted in positive blood cultures 14 days post-challenge and bacterial burdens were observed in the lung, liver and/or spleens 14 days post-challenge. In addition, the progression of brucellosis was similar between mice challenged by the intranasal and aerosol routes. The results from this study support the use of the Balb/c aerosol nose-only brucellosis mouse model for the evaluation of therapeutics against inhalational brucellosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Inhalation
  • Administration, Intranasal
  • Animals
  • Body Temperature
  • Brucella melitensis* / pathogenicity
  • Brucellosis / microbiology*
  • Brucellosis / pathology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Hematologic Tests
  • Liver / microbiology
  • Liver / pathology
  • Lung / microbiology
  • Lung / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Spleen / microbiology
  • Spleen / pathology