title: Experimental Infection of Goats with Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis: a Model for Comparative Tuberculosis Research.
abstract: Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis (MAH) is an opportunistic pathogen that causes infections in man and animals. In this study, 18 goat kids were inoculated orally with a high dose of MAH. One group of goats (n = 9) developed severe clinical disease for up to 2-3 months post inoculation (mpi). At necropsy examination, there were ulcerative and granulomatous lesions in gut-associated lymphoid tissue and granulomas with extensive necrosis in the lymph nodes (LNs) of the cranial mesenteric lymphocentre (CMLNs). Culture revealed growth of MAH in all lesions with systemic spread. A second group of goats were healthy at the end of the trial (13 mpi); however, all had extensive granulomas in the CMLNs, but no extra-intestinal spread of bacteria. Moderate faecal shedding occurred in all goats up to 2 mpi. Microscopical characterization of the granulomas revealed solid non-necrotic, necrotic, calcified and fibrocalcified granulomas with resemblance to those seen in human and bovine tuberculosis. The two different courses of disease, with highly heterogenic lesions, systemic spread in goats with severe clinical disease and the development of granulomas of all stages in the surviving goats, makes the experimental infection of goats with MAH a valuable model for tuberculosis research. This model might allow new insights into host-pathogen interaction and anti-mycobacterial compound testing.
authors.affiliation: Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schinköthe
authors.affiliation: Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Naumburger Str. 96a, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Möbius
authors.affiliation: Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Naumburger Str. 96a, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Köhler
authors.affiliation: Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Naumburger Str. 96a, Jena, Germany. Electronic address: Elisabeth.Liebler-Tenorio@fli.bund.de.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Liebler-Tenorio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D006041:Goats; D008297:Male; D009162:Mycobacterium avium; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Mycobacterium avium complex; animal model; goat; pathology