Pathogenicity of high-dose enteral inoculation of Burkholderia pseudomallei to mice

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2010 Nov;83(5):1066-9. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2010.10-0306.

Abstract

Melioidosis is a frequently lethal tropical infection caused by the environmental saprophyte Burkholderia pseudomallei. Although transcutaneous inoculation and inhalation are considered the primary routes of infection, suggestive clinical evidence implicates ingestion as a possible alternative route. We show that in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice, direct gastric inoculation of high doses of B. pseudomallei causes systemic infection that may be lethal or cause chronic disseminated infection. Mice may shed bacteria in the stool for weeks after infection, and high titers of B. pseudomallei-specific IgG are detectable. This report of enteric murine melioidosis supports further consideration of this route of infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptive Immunity
  • Animals
  • Brain / microbiology
  • Brain / pathology
  • Burkholderia pseudomallei / pathogenicity*
  • Enteritis / microbiology*
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Female
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Liver / microbiology
  • Liver / pathology
  • Lung / microbiology
  • Lung / pathology
  • Lymph Nodes / microbiology
  • Lymph Nodes / pathology
  • Melioidosis / microbiology*
  • Mesentery
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
  • Spleen / microbiology
  • Spleen / pathology

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin G