Association of bronchopneumonia with sinusitis due to Bordetella bronchiseptica in an experimental rabbit model

An animal model for rhinogenic sinusitis was developed in rabbits naturally colonized with Bordetella bronchiseptica. It was found that ostial occlusion predisposes the sinus to invasion with this opportunistic bacterium and subsequent sinusitis as a result of reduced local host defense. In addition to the inflammatory lesions in the sinus, bronchitis and pneumonia were found in 84% of the experimental rabbits, suggesting that ostial dysfunction can also contribute to infectious disease of the lower respiratory tract. In such a model it is possible to study the significance of asymptomatic carriage of potential pathogens after ostial occlusion.