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Updated: May 30, 2026
Simplified Whole Body Plethysmography to Characterize Lung Function During Respiratory Melioidosis
Published on: February 24, 2023
Evaluation of surrogate animal models of melioidosis
1Center for Predictive Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville Louisville, KY, USA.
Abstract:
Burkholderia pseudomallei is the Gram-negative bacterial pathogen responsible for the disease melioidosis. B. pseudomallei establishes disease in susceptible individuals through multiple routes of infection, all of which may proceed to a septicemic disease associated with a high mortality rate. B. pseudomallei opportunistically infects humans and a wide range of animals directly from the environment, and modeling of experimental melioidosis has been conducted in numerous biologically relevant models including mammalian and invertebrate hosts. This review seeks to summarize published findings related to established animal models of melioidosis, with an aim to compare and contrast the virulence of B. pseudomallei in these models. The effect of the route of delivery on disease is also discussed for intravenous, intraperitoneal, subcutaneous, intranasal, aerosol, oral, and intratracheal infection methodologies, with a particular focus on how they relate to modeling clinical melioidosis. The importance of the translational validity of the animal models used in B. pseudomallei research is highlighted as these studies have become increasingly therapeutic in nature.
Insights
Burkholderia pseudomallei causes melioidosis, a serious infection. This review compares animal models and infection routes to understand disease progression and improve therapeutic strategies.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Animal Modeling
Background:
- Burkholderia pseudomallei is a Gram-negative bacterium causing melioidosis.
- Melioidosis can lead to septicemic disease with high mortality.
- The pathogen infects humans and animals via environmental exposure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and compare animal models of melioidosis.
- To analyze the virulence of B. pseudomallei across different models.
- To evaluate the impact of infection routes on disease modeling.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of published findings on melioidosis animal models.
- Comparison of B. pseudomallei virulence in various hosts.
- Analysis of infection routes: IV, IP, SC, intranasal, aerosol, oral, intratracheal.
Main Results:
- Different animal models exhibit varying B. pseudomallei virulence.
- Infection route significantly influences disease manifestation and severity.
- Models are crucial for understanding clinical melioidosis and developing therapies.
Conclusions:
- Animal models are essential for studying melioidosis.
- Route of infection is a critical factor in model selection and interpretation.
- Translational validity of models is key for therapeutic development in B. pseudomallei research.
