title: The pathophysiology of inhalational brucellosis in BALB/c mice.
abstract: To characterize the clinical presentation and pathophysiology of inhalational brucellosis, Balb/c mice were challenged with Brucella melitensis 16M in a nose-only aerosol exposure chamber. A low dose of 1000 cfu/animal of B. melitensis resulted in 45% of mice with tissue burdens eight weeks post-challenge. The natural history of brucellosis in mice challenged by higher aerosol doses was examined by serial euthanizing mice over an eight week period. Higher challenge doses of 1.00E+05 and 5.00E+05 cfu resulted in positive blood cultures 14 days post-challenge and bacterial burdens were observed in the lung, liver and/or spleens 14 days post-challenge. In addition, the progression of brucellosis was similar between mice challenged by the intranasal and aerosol routes. The results from this study support the use of the Balb/c aerosol nose-only brucellosis mouse model for the evaluation of therapeutics against inhalational brucellosis.
authors: Battelle, 505 King Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43201, USA. henningl@battelle.org
authors: Lisa N
authors: LN
authors: Henning
authors: Karen T
authors: KT
authors: Gillum
authors: David A
authors: DA
authors: Fisher
authors: Roy E
authors: RE
authors: Barnewall
authors: Robert T
authors: RT
authors: Krile
authors: Michael S
authors: MS
authors: Anderson
authors: Michael J
authors: MJ
authors: Ryan
authors: Richard L
authors: RL
authors: Warren
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature; D017347:Brucella melitensis / Q000472:pathogenicity; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology