Experimental melioidosis in hens

Marmosets as models of infectious diseases

Animal models of infectious disease often serve a crucial purpose in obtaining licensure of therapeutics and medical countermeasures, particularly in situations where human trials are not feasible, i.e., for those diseases that occur infrequently in the human population. The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a Neotropical new-world (platyrrhines) non-human primate, has gained increasing attention as an animal model for a number of diseases given its small size, availability and evolutionary proximity to humans. This review aims to (i) discuss the pros and cons of the common marmoset as an animal model by providing a brief snapshot of how marmosets are currently utilized in biomedical research, (ii) summarize and evaluate relevant aspects of the marmoset immune system to the study of infectious diseases, (iii) provide a historical backdrop, outlining the significance of infectious diseases and the importance of developing reliable animal models to test novel therapeutics, and (iv) provide a summary of infectious diseases for which a marmoset model exists, followed by an in-depth discussion of the marmoset models of two studied bacterial infectious diseases (tularemia and melioidosis) and one viral infectious disease (viral hepatitis C).

Characterization of the mrgRS locus of the opportunistic pathogen Burkholderia pseudomallei: temperature regulates the expression of a two-component signal transduction system

Background

Burkholderia pseudomallei is a saprophyte in tropical environments and an opportunistic human pathogen. This versatility requires a sensing mechanism that allows the bacterium to respond rapidly to altered environmental conditions. We characterized a two-component signal transduction locus from B. pseudomallei 204, mrgR and mrgS, encoding products with extensive homology with response regulators and histidine protein kinases of Escherichia coli, Bordetella pertussis, and Vibrio cholerae.

Results

The locus was present and expressed in a variety of B. pseudomallei human and environmental isolates but was absent from other Burkholderia species, B. cepacia, B. cocovenenans, B. plantarii, B. thailandensis, B. vandii, and B. vietnamiensis. A 2128 bp sequence, including the full response regulator mrgR, but not the sensor kinase mrgS, was present in the B. mallei genome. Restriction fragment length polymorphism downstream from mrgRS showed two distinct groups were present among B. pseudomallei isolates. Our analysis of the open reading frames in this region of the genome revealed that transposase and bacteriophage activity may help explain this variation. MrgR and MrgS proteins were expressed in B. pseudomallei 204 cultured at different pH, salinity and temperatures and the expression was substantially reduced at 25°C compared with 37°C or 42°C but was mostly unaffected by pH or salinity, although at 25°C and 0.15% NaCl a small increase in MrgR expression was observed at pH 5. MrgR was recognized by antibodies in convalescent sera pooled from melioidosis patients.

Conclusion

The results suggest that mrgRS regulates an adaptive response to temperature that may be essential for pathogenesis, particularly during the initial phases of infection. B. pseudomallei and B. mallei are very closely related species that differ in their capacity to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Modifications in this region of the genome may assist our understanding of the reasons for this difference.

Melioidosis in animals: a review on epizootiology, diagnosis and clinical presentation

Melioidosis, an infectious disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei is an emerging disease with high impact on animals and man. In different animal species, the clinical course varies and delayed diagnosis poses risks for the dissemination of the agent in non-endemic areas. Not only migration and transport of animals around the world but also tourism increases the risk that melioidosis can leave its endemic boundaries and establish itself elsewhere. Detection of the agent is a major challenge, as the agent has to be handled in laboratories of biosafety level 3 and test kits are not yet commercially available. Veterinarians and doctors should be aware of melioidosis not only as an agent of public interest but also in terms of a bioterrorist attack. The aim of this review is to describe the agent, its aetiology, the manifestation in a variety of animal species as well as to describe diagnostic procedures, typing techniques and countermeasures.

Experimental Burkholderia pseudomallei infection of pigs

Experimental infection with Burkholderia pseudomallei was successfully produced after a single intravenous challenge of 2-month-old pigs with a dose of 5.0 x 10(9) bacterial cells. Clinical, paraclinical and morphological findings of the infectious process and post-infectious immunity were examined up to day 30 post infection (p.i.). A transient and short hyperthermia accompanied by enhanced and longer demonstrated pulse frequency. An increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate and tachypnea were observed too after clinical examination. The infection starts with significant leucopenia, and a reduced number of alveolar and peritoneal macrophages which have been overcome in the latest intervals of infection. In contrast, the phagocytic activity of leucocytes was statistically increased during the course of infection and up to day 15 p.i. in the case of alveolar macrophages. Burkholderia pseudomallei was able to colonize the lungs during the whole experiment and was only present 3 days in the spleen and mesenterial lymph nodes (MLN). Significant antibody response was developed as early as day 7 p.i. Hyperaemia, haemorrhages and necrotic foci were found in the brain, liver spleen and MLN. Lung tissue was also hyperaemic, with formation of small abscesses and signs of catarrhal pneumonia. Data obtained in this study revealed that B. pseudomallei causes a chronic generalized infection in pigs, even after intravenous challenge.

Killing of Pseudomonas pseudomallei by polymorphonuclear leukocytes and peritoneal macrophages from chicken, sheep, swine and rabbits

Differences in the kinetics of Pseudomonas pseudomallei killing by peritoneal macrophages (PM) and polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNL) from chickens, sheep, swine and rabbits were found. P. pseudomallei was rapidly killed by porcine PM and PMNL. However the bacterial killing by ovine and lapine PM and PMNL proceeded at a slower rate. In contrast, chicken PM and PMNL ingested and killed the lowest number of P. pseudomallei bacteria. The differences in the bactericidal activity of PM and PMNL from different animal species correlated with the level of their acid phosphatase and glycolytic activity.