title: Model of neonatal meningitis caused by Escherichia coli K1 in guinea pigs.
abstract: A total of 88 neonatal guinea pigs was inoculated intranasally with a clinical isolate of Escherichia coli K1 that had been passaged once in the peritoneum of an adult guinea pig; 74 animals became bacteremic, of which 54 had meningitis, 12 hr after inoculation. Bacteremia and/or meningitis occurred consistently in repeated experiments. It was possible to obtain serial specimens of cerebrospinal fluid by cisternal puncture without killing the animals. The induction of meningitis in a predictable fashion without disrupting the blood-brain barrier and the ability to study the cerebrospinal fluid without killing the animal make this a useful model of human neonatal meningitis caused by E. coli K1.
mesh_terms: D000617:Aminoglycosides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008581:Meningitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000617:Aminoglycosides