title: Establishment of a superficial skin infection model in mice by using Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes.
abstract: A new animal model for the purpose of studying superficial infections is presented. In this model an infection is established by disruption of the skin barrier by partial removal of the epidermal layer by tape stripping and subsequent application of the pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. The infection and the infection route are purely topical, in contrast to those used in previously described animal models in mice, such as the skin suture-wound model, where the infection is introduced into the deeper layers of the skin. Thus, the present model is considered more biologically relevant for the study of superficial skin infections in mice and humans. Established topical antibiotic treatments are shown to be effective. The procedures involved in the model are simple, a feature that increases throughput and reproducibility. This new model should be applicable to the evaluation of novel antimicrobial treatments of superficial infections caused by S. aureus and S. pyogenes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Box 596, The Biomedical Center, Uppsala University, S-751 24 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kugelberg
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Norström
authors.forename: Thomas K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Tore
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Duvold
authors.forename: Dan I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Diarmaid
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hughes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000472:pathogenicity*