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Updated: Jun 19, 2026
4D Multimodality Imaging of Citrobacter rodentium Infections in Mice
Published on: August 13, 2013
INFECTIOUS CATARRH OF MICE : II. THE DETECTION AND ISOLATION OF COCCOBACILLIFORM BODIES
1Department of Animal and Plant Pathology of The Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, Princeton, N. J.
Abstract:
Small Gram-negative cells resembling the so called coccobacilliform bodies of fowl coryza were regularly found in the nasal and middle ear exudate of mice naturally and experimentally infected with catarrh. These bodies were successfully isolated from exudates and cultivated in tissue cultures. There was no microscopic evidence, however, of their multiplication in ordinary nutrient media enriched with blood. They were filterable through collodion membranes with an average pore size of 640 mmicro and, hence, separable from secondary bacteria. The size of the bodies in stained films averaged between 0.3 and 0.4micro. A second organism cultivable in fluid blood media with the formation of compact clumps and similar to the X bacillus of chickens was also isolated from infected mice.
Insights
Researchers identified small, Gram-negative cells in infected mice, similar to fowl coryza bodies. These cell-like bodies were isolated and filtered, suggesting a potential cause of mouse catarrh.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Veterinary Pathology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Fowl coryza is a respiratory disease in birds.
- Mouse catarrh is a condition affecting mice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize the causative agent of mouse catarrh.
- To investigate the nature of observed coccobacilliform bodies in infected mice.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and cultivation of microorganisms from nasal and middle ear exudates of infected mice.
- Tissue culture and nutrient media for organism growth.
- Filtration through collodion membranes to separate organisms from bacteria.
- Microscopic examination of stained cell preparations.
Main Results:
- Small, Gram-negative coccobacilliform bodies were consistently found in exudates from naturally and experimentally infected mice.
- These bodies were isolated and successfully cultured in tissue cultures but did not multiply in standard enriched media.
- Filtration experiments confirmed the small size of these bodies (0.3-0.4 micrometers) and their separation from secondary bacteria.
- A second, distinct organism resembling chicken X bacillus was also isolated.
Conclusions:
- The identified Gram-negative coccobacilliform bodies are likely the causative agents of mouse catarrh.
- These agents possess characteristics of filterable organisms, distinct from typical bacteria.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the pathogenicity and classification of these agents.
