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Published on: July 24, 2017
THE HISTOLOGICAL LESIONS OF EXPERIMENTAL GLANDERS
Abstract:
The bacillus of glanders may be so modified in virulence as to produce experimentally lesions differing widely in their histological features. The highly virulent culture causes primary necrosis and disintegration of the tissue followed by the invasion of the injured area by polymorphonuclear leucocytes. The bacilli of moderate virulence give rise to a primary lesion of an acute inflammatory nature in which the cells show no evidence of necrosis or disintegration. The attenuated bacilli produce primary tissue proliferation with the formation of epithelioid and giant cells. There is every grade of lesion between the acute exudative and the chronic proliferative depending upon the toxicity of the cultures. The glanders lesion whether exudative or proliferative is focal in character. The strong toxins of the glanders bacilli cause degeneration or necrosis of cells and exudation, while the dilute and weak toxins produce proliferation. The giant cell of glanders undoubtedly originates from the endothelial cell of the blood and lymph channels and is formed by division of the nucleus of the endothelial cell and not by cell fusion. Histologically the lesion of glanders resulting from the culture of a low degree of virulence is proliferative and is analogous to tuberculosis; the lesions are focal and bear an intimate relation to the glanders bacillus.
Insights
The virulence of glanders bacilli influences lesion development, ranging from necrosis to tissue proliferation. Histological examination reveals distinct cellular responses based on bacillus toxicity.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Pathology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Glanders is a contagious disease caused by *Burkholderia mallei*.
- The bacillus of glanders can exhibit varying degrees of virulence.
- Histological manifestations of glanders lesions are not fully elucidated across different virulence levels.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the histological features of glanders lesions experimentally induced by *Burkholderia mallei* of varying virulence.
- To correlate bacillary virulence and toxin concentration with specific cellular responses and lesion types.
Main Methods:
- Experimental inoculation of animals with *Burkholderia mallei* cultures of differing virulence.
- Histological examination of induced lesions.
- Analysis of cellular infiltration, necrosis, and proliferation patterns.
Main Results:
- Highly virulent cultures induced primary necrosis and polymorphonuclear leucocyte infiltration.
- Moderately virulent cultures resulted in acute inflammation without necrosis.
- Attenuated cultures led to primary tissue proliferation with epithelioid and giant cell formation.
- Lesion type (exudative vs. proliferative) correlated with bacillary toxin strength.
- Giant cells originated from endothelial cells via nuclear division, not cell fusion.
- Low virulence lesions were proliferative and histologically analogous to tuberculosis.
Conclusions:
- Bacillary virulence significantly dictates the histological presentation of glanders lesions.
- Glanders lesions are focal, with strong toxins causing necrosis and weak toxins promoting proliferation.
- The histological characteristics of glanders lesions provide insights into the pathogen-host interaction dynamics.
