This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kraft, W G Articles by Morgan, D R Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kraft, W G Articles by Morgan, D R

Cutaneous infection in normal and immunocompromised mice.

ABSTRACT

Since a model of staphylococcal skin infection adequately reflecting human disease was unavailable, a self-limiting animal infection model specific for virulent Staphylococcus species was developed. A virulent strain of S. aureus, NCTC 9789 (ATCC 27700), was used to develop an infection model in adult, male CF-1 mice treated with 0 to 150 mg of cyclophosphamide (CY) per kg 4 days before challenge. Bacteria were inoculated onto the dorsal side of shaved mice at 0 to 10(6) CFU per mouse. Simultaneously, the skin was gently scraped to remove the superficial layers without drawing blood. The wound was occluded with impermeable film secured with surgical tape. At a CY dose of 50 mg/kg and an inoculum of 10(5) CFU, 89% of the mice (96 of 108) developed large abscesses (approximately 15-mm diameter). Mice which were not immunocompromised developed fewer abscesses (20 of 68). Generally, no abscesses formed when the mice were not wounded (1 of 62), occluded (0 of 89), or inoculated (11 of 50). The abscesses developed 24 to 48 h after challenge and persisted for 2 to 3 weeks. The challenge organism was isolated from the abscesses. The rates of abscess formation of three additional S. aureus strains varied widely in normal and CY-treated mice. Three strains of S. epidermidis, one of Micrococcus varians, and one of S. saprophyticus failed to cause abscesses. Bacterial proliferation studies demonstrated that a strain of S. aureus and a strain of S. epidermidis proliferated to the same levels 48 h after challenge. Immunosuppression and wounding had little effect on the levels of proliferation of S. aureus (P greater than 0.2). Without occlusion, however, S. aureus proliferated to significantly lower levels (P less than 0.005). This model may be be useful for screening topical anti-infective agents or studying the mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis and host response.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Georgel, P., Crozat, K., Lauth, X., Makrantonaki, E., Seltmann, H., Sovath, S., Hoebe, K., Du, X., Rutschmann, S., Jiang, Z., Bigby, T., Nizet, V., Zouboulis, C. C., Beutler, B. (2005). A Toll-Like Receptor 2-Responsive Lipid Effector Pathway Protects Mammals against Skin Infections with Gram-Positive Bacteria. Infect. Immun. 73: 4512-4521 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Darmstadt, G. L., Mentele, L., Fleckman, P., Rubens, C. E. (1999). Role of Keratinocyte Injury in Adherence of Streptococcus pyogenes. Infect. Immun. 67: 6707-6709 [Abstract] [Full Text]