title: A murine model of Madurella mycetomatis eumycetoma.
abstract: Eumycetoma due to Madurella mycetomatis is a major mycological health problem in endemic areas. We infected BALB/c mice (male or female) with various amounts of M. mycetomatis mycelium, containing sterilized soil as a natural adjuvant or Freund's incomplete adjuvant. Mice differed with respect to age and immune status. Intraperitoneal, subcutaneous and intravenous inoculation was explored and survival was monitored. Mice were killed at various intervals after inoculation, checked for the presence of the characteristic black grains, and organs were cultured for M. mycetomatis. Infected organs were subjected to histopathological examination. Immunocompetent male mice were as susceptible as immunocompromised female mice, but showed higher mortality rates. In conclusion, a reproducible mouse model of intraperitoneal M. mycetomatis infection with characteristic black grains in immunocompetent adult or young female mice was developed. Although this experimental model does not simulate macroscopic features of the subcutaneous M. mycetomatis infection in humans, the histopathological characteristics of the lesions and the development of black grains are clearly representative for the human infection. This model will enable further studies on the pathogenesis as well as prevention and treatment of the fungal infection.
authors.affiliation: Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Dr Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Abdalla O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: van Vianen
authors.forename: Marian T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: ten Kate
authors.forename: Wendy W J
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: van de Sande
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Belkum
authors.forename: Ahmed H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Fahal
authors.forename: Henri A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Verbrugh
authors.forename: Irma A J M
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Bakker-Woudenberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D020461:Madurella; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008271:Mycetoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms