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Thanapaul RJRS, Alamneh YA, Finnegan DK, Antonic V, Abu-Taleb R, Czintos C, Boone D, Su W, Sajja VS, Getnet D, Roberds A, Walsh TJ, Bobrov AG. Development of a Combat-Relevant Murine Model of Wound Mucormycosis: A Platform for the Pre-Clinical Investigation of Novel Therapeutics for Wound-Invasive Fungal Diseases. J Fungi (Basel) 2024; 10:364. [PMID: 38786719 PMCID: PMC11122444 DOI: 10.3390/jof10050364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Wound-invasive fungal diseases (WIFDs), especially mucormycosis, have emerged as life-threatening infections during recent military combat operations. Many combat-relevant fungal pathogens are refractory to current antifungal therapy. Therefore, animal models of WIFDs are urgently needed to investigate new therapeutic solutions. Our study establishes combat-relevant murine models of wound mucormycosis using Rhizopus arrhizus and Lichtheimia corymbifera, two Mucorales species that cause wound mucormycosis worldwide. These models recapitulate the characteristics of combat-related wounds from explosions, including blast overpressure exposure, full-thickness skin injury, fascial damage, and muscle crush. The independent inoculation of both pathogens caused sustained infections and enlarged wounds. Histopathological analysis confirmed the presence of necrosis and fungal hyphae in the wound bed and adjacent muscle tissue. Semi-quantification of fungal burden by colony-forming units corroborated the infection. Treatment with liposomal amphotericin B, 30 mg/kg, effectively controlled R. arrhizus growth and significantly reduced residual fungal burden in infected wounds (p < 0.001). This study establishes the first combat-relevant murine model of wound mucormycosis, paving the way for developing and evaluating novel antifungal therapies against combat-associated WIFDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rex J. R. Samdavid Thanapaul
- Wound Infections Department, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
- NRC Research Associateship Programs, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Washington, DC 20001, USA
| | - Yonas A. Alamneh
- Wound Infections Department, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Daniel K. Finnegan
- Veterinary Services Program, Pathology Department, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Vlado Antonic
- Wound Infections Department, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Rania Abu-Taleb
- Wound Infections Department, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Christine Czintos
- Wound Infections Department, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Dylan Boone
- Wound Infections Department, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Wanwen Su
- Wound Infections Department, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Venkatasivasai S. Sajja
- Blast Induced Neurotrauma Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Derese Getnet
- Wound Infections Department, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Ashleigh Roberds
- Wound Infections Department, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Thomas J. Walsh
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology & Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Center for Innovative Therapeutics and Diagnostics, Richmond, VA 23220, USA
| | - Alexander G. Bobrov
- Wound Infections Department, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Center for Infectious Diseases Research, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
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Scheler J, Binder U. Alternative in-vivo models of mucormycosis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1343834. [PMID: 38362495 PMCID: PMC10867140 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1343834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Mucormycosis is still regarded a rare fungal infection, but the high incidences of COVID-associated cases in India and other countries have shown its potential threat to large patient cohorts. In addition, infections by these fast-growing fungi are often fatal and cause disfigurement, badly affecting patients' lives. In advancing our understanding of pathogenicity factors involved in this disease, to enhance the diagnostic toolset and to evaluate novel treatment regimes, animal models are indispensable. As ethical and practical considerations typically favor the use of alternative model systems, this review provides an overview of alternative animal models employed for mucormycosis and discusses advantages and limitations of the respective model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ulrike Binder
- Department of Hygiene, Microbiology and Public Health, Division of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Tirol, Austria
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