title: Embolic encephalitis in a porcine model of endocarditis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Endocarditis is a severe disease in which neurological complications are frequent and associated with increased mortality and complex disease management. In the present study, the pig was evaluated as a model of embolic encephalitis as a complication of experimental infective endocarditis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Brains from pigs with experimental Staphylococcus aureus-associated infective endocarditis (IE; n=2), experimental non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE; n=5), experimental S. aureus sepsis without endocarditis (SNE; n=3) and saline controls (n=3), were used. The brains were examined for lesions macroscopically, histologically and immunohistochemically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lesions of focal encephalitis were found in the IE and SNE pigs, at considerably higher numbers in the IE pigs. Furthermore, microabscesses were common in the IE pigs, which fits the association between brain abscesses and S. aureus-associated endocarditis in humans.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Experimental porcine S. aureus-associated endocarditis is advantageous for studying neurological complications, such as brain abscess formation, as a result of endocardial bacterial seeding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Ridebanevej 3, DK-1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark. jogy@sund.ku.dk
authors.forename: Johanna Gyllensten
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Christiansen
authors.forename: Malin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oscarson
authors.forename: Henrik Elvang
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Louise Kruse
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Janne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: Bent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aalbæk
authors.forename: Ole Lerberg
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Tine Moesgaard
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Iburg
authors.forename: Páll Skúli
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Leifsson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D004696:Endocarditis / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020766:Intracranial Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins
keywords: Endocarditis; embolic encephalitis; pig; porcine model