The hamster model of chronic Mycobacterium avium complex infection.
Male golden Syrian hamsters were evaluated as a model for the pathogenesis of human infection with Mycobacterium avium complex. Intratracheal inoculation produced a chronic, nonfatal, pulmonary and disseminated infection (overall rate, 86%). The frequency of infection in hamsters that received 5 x 10(8) versus 1 x 10(8) colony forming units (cfu) was not significantly different (87% and 92%, respectively), but 1 x 10(7) cfu produced infection in only 78% of inoculated animals (P = .034). The percentage of animals developing pulmonary infection with M. avium complex did not differ between inoculum groups (77%-80%). Disseminated infection occurred significantly less frequently in the 1 x 10(7) group (46%) compared with the 5 x 10(8) (79%) and 1 x 10(8) (68%) groups (P = .001 and .056, respectively). After seven weeks, partial clearance of M. avium complex from the lungs coincided with an increased number of animals with splenic involvement. The hamster may be a useful model for human infection with M. avium complex.
Yangco
B G
BG
Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa 33612.
Lackman-Smith
C
C
Espinoza
C G
CG
Solomon
D A
DA
Deresinski
S C
SC
D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000382:microbiology; D006224:Cricetinae; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology; D008647:Mesocricetus; D015269:Mycobacterium avium Complex / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D015270:Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology
D010196:Pancreatic Elastase