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Published on: March 14, 2019
PRODUCTION OF EXPERIMENTAL OSTEOMYELITIS IN RABBITS BY INTRAVENOUS INJECTION OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS
1Hospital of The Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research.
Abstract:
1. The conditions under which a certain strain of staphylococcus (OH 172) causes in rabbits the development of bone inflammation have been described. 2. The virulence of the strain for rabbits was markedly raised by passage through this animal species, and especially after the culture had been recovered from a bone abscess. 3. The results indicate that it is possible to produce consistently inflammation of the bones of rabbits by the mere intravenous injection of a suitable strain of staphylococcus, without resorting to any elaborate operative technique designed to localize the organisms in the bones. It appears also that the inflammatory process so produced bears a close resemblance to staphylococcal osteomyelitis as occurring in human beings.
Insights
Researchers found that injecting Staphylococcus bacteria into rabbits consistently caused bone inflammation, mimicking human staphylococcal osteomyelitis. Virulence increased after passage through rabbits, particularly from bone abscesses.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Veterinary Pathology
- Immunology
Background:
- Staphylococcus strains can cause bone infections.
- Understanding the pathogenesis of staphylococcal osteomyelitis is crucial for effective treatment.
- Animal models are essential for studying infectious diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the conditions under which Staphylococcus strain OH 172 induces bone inflammation in rabbits.
- To investigate the effect of animal passage on the virulence of Staphylococcus.
- To establish a reliable rabbit model for staphylococcal osteomyelitis.
Main Methods:
- Intravenous injection of Staphylococcus strain OH 172 into rabbits.
- Serial passage of the bacterial strain through rabbits.
- Recovery of the culture from induced bone abscesses.
- Observation and description of induced bone inflammation.
Main Results:
- Staphylococcus strain OH 172 consistently induced bone inflammation in rabbits via intravenous injection.
- Bacterial passage through rabbits, especially from bone abscesses, significantly increased virulence.
- The induced inflammatory process closely resembled human staphylococcal osteomyelitis.
Conclusions:
- Intravenous injection of a suitable Staphylococcus strain can reliably induce osteomyelitis in rabbits.
- This model offers a valuable tool for studying staphylococcal osteomyelitis pathogenesis and treatment.
- Bacterial adaptation through host passage enhances virulence, relevant to clinical infections.
