Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in a mouse model.
To investigate the pathogenesis of acute Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection, BALB/c mice were anesthetized with metofane, and M. pneumoniae was introduced intranasally on days 0, 1, and 2. Mice were sacrificed on days 0-15. A histopathologic scoring system defined inflammatory changes in the lungs on a scale of 0-26 (least to most severe). Broth cultures were positive for all nasal passage and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens. Histopathologic scores ranged from 0 to 21. The mean log10 (cfu/mL) were 4.1-6.4 on days 1-10 and >/=1.7 on days 13-15 for nasal passage and BAL specimens. Serum polymerase chain reaction was negative. ELISA for serum IgM and immunoblots for M. pneumoniae antibody were positive in 21 (62%) of 34 and 33 (97%) of 34 infected animals, respectively, at days 8-15. ELISA for IgG antibody was negative. This mouse pneumonia model can be used to study the immunologic and therapeutic responses to acute M. pneumoniae infection.
Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Texas, Dallas, USA.
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L
Wubbel
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HS
Jafri
K
K
Olsen
S
S
Shelton
B
B
Barton Rogers
G
G
Gambill
P
P
Patel
E
E
Keyser
G
G
Cassell
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McCracken
D000818:Animals; D018893:Bronchoalveolar Lavage; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction