Experimental infection of C3H/HeJ mice with the NY18 isolate of Anaplasma phagocytophilum.
Human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA), an emerging disease of public health concern in many areas of the world, is caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Small animal models of A phagocytophilum in laboratory mice have been developed and used to study the pathogenesis of HGA. In this study, we characterized the pathologic changes in acute infection of C3H/HeJ mice experimentally infected with the NY18 isolate of A phagocytophilum. Although no clinical signs were noted, acute infection was associated with gross splenomegaly, microscopic inflammatory lesions in the lung and liver, hyperplastic lesions on the spleen, and clinical pathology abnormalities including neutropenia and monocytosis. This study emphasizes the use of well-defined animal models as a valuable tool for the study of A phagocytophilum infections.
Blas-Machado
U
U
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA. ublas@uga.edu
de la Fuente
J
J
Blouin
E F
EF
Almazán
C
C
Kocan
K M
KM
Mysore
J V
JV
D041081:Anaplasma phagocytophilum / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D000818:Animals; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
D012329:RNA, Bacterial