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Infection and Immunity, December 2009, p. 5478-5485, Vol. 77, No. 12
0019-9567/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/IAI.00551-09
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Distinctive Profiles of Infection and Pathology in Hamsters Infected with Clostridium difficile Strains 630 and B1 {triangledown}

David Goulding,1 Harold Thompson,2 Jenny Emerson,3 Neil F. Fairweather,3 Gordon Dougan,1 and Gill R. Douce4*

Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, United Kingdom,1 Division of Pathological Science, University of Glasgow Veterinary School, Garscube Estate, Bearsden Glasgow, United Kingdom,2 Centre for Molecular Microbiology and Infection, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom,3 Division of Infection and Immunity, FBLS Glasgow Biomedical Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom4

Received 18 May 2009/ Returned for modification 26 June 2009/ Accepted 9 September 2009

Currently, the Golden Syrian hamster is widely considered an important model of Clostridium difficile disease, as oral infection of this animal pretreated with antibiotics reproduces many of the symptoms observed in humans. Two C. difficile strains, B1 and 630, showed significant differences in the progression and severity of disease in this model. B1-infected hamsters exhibited more severe pathology and a shorter time to death than hamsters infected with 630. Histological changes in the gut did not correlate with absolute numbers of C. difficile bacteria, but there were clear differences in the distribution of bacteria within gut tissues. Light, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy revealed high numbers of B1 bacteria at the mucosal surface of the tissue, whereas 630 bacteria were more frequently associated with the crypt regions. Both B1 and 630 bacteria were frequently observed within polymorphonuclear leukocytes, although, interestingly, a space frequently separated B1 bacteria from the phagosome wall, a phenomenon not observed with 630. However, pilus-like structures were detected on 630 located in the crypts of the gut tissue. Furthermore, B1 bacteria, but not 630 bacteria, were found within nonphagocytic cells, including enterocytes and muscle cells.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Division of Infection and Immunity, FBLS Glasgow Biomedical Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom. Phone: 0141-330-2842. Fax: 0141-330-4600. E-mail: g.douce{at}bio.gla.ac.uk

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 14 September 2009.

Editor: B. A. McCormick

Infection and Immunity, December 2009, p. 5478-5485, Vol. 77, No. 12
0019-9567/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/IAI.00551-09
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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