Intragastric infection of germfree and conventional mice with Salmonella typhimurium.
The present study investigates the lethality of intragastric Salmonella typhimurium infection of germfree (GF) and conventional (CV, not germfree) mice. The introduction of only 10 viable S. typhimurium into the gastrointestinal tract of GF mice resulted in death of all animals within 8 days of inoculation. In contrast, the 50% lethal dose for CV mice was 4.7 x 10(3) viable organisms. The results demonstrate that resident microbes protect mice from the pathogenic effect of S. typhimurium infection.
Nardi
R M
RM
Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brasil.
Silva
M E
ME
Vieira
E C
EC
Bambirra
E A
EA
Nicoli
J R
JR
D000818:Animals; D004064:Digestive System / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005856:Germ-Free Life; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D051379:Mice; D012481:Salmonella Infections, Animal / Q000276:immunology*; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000472:pathogenicity*