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Published on: June 28, 2018
Diabetic murine models for Acinetobacter baumannii infection
Guanpingsheng Luo1, Brad Spellberg, Teclegiorgis Gebremariam
1Division of Infectious Diseases, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90502, USA.
The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
|March 6, 2012
Summary
New diabetic mouse models for extremely drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections were developed. These models showed colistin effectively treated pneumonia, aiding future drug development for A. baumannii.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Animal Models
Background:
- Extremely drug-resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter baumannii is a major cause of difficult-to-treat infections.
- Diabetes mellitus is a known risk factor for acquiring A. baumannii infections and experiencing worse outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate diabetic mouse models for A. baumannii bloodstream infection (bacteraemia) and pneumonia.
- To compare the efficacy of antibiotic treatment in these new diabetic models versus established neutropenic models.
Main Methods:
- Diabetic or neutropenic mice were infected with XDR A. baumannii via intravenous inoculation or inhalation.
- Colistin treatment was administered daily for 7 days, starting 24 hours post-infection.
- Survival, bacterial burden in tissues, and histopathology were assessed as endpoints.
Main Results:
- Lethal infections were successfully established in both neutropenic and diabetic mice.
- Diabetic mice showed less susceptibility to pneumonia than neutropenic mice but equal susceptibility to bacteraemia.
- Colistin treatment significantly improved survival and reduced lung bacterial burden in the diabetic pneumonia model.
Conclusions:
- Novel diabetic mouse models for A. baumannii bacteraemia and pneumonia have been successfully developed.
- These models are suitable for investigating A. baumannii infection mechanisms and evaluating immunotherapies.
- The models provide a platform for assessing drug efficacy against highly lethal XDR A. baumannii infections.
