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Updated: May 6, 2026

Evaluation of Host-Pathogen Responses and Vaccine Efficacy in Mice
Published on: February 22, 2019
Resident microbiota affect Bordetella pertussis infectious dose and host specificity
Laura S Weyrich1, Heather A Feaga, Jihye Park
1Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences.
Resident microbes prevent Bordetella pertussis colonization in mice, influencing host specificity. Manipulating microbiomes could improve infectious disease models.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiome Research
Background:
- Pathogen interactions with host microbiota are crucial for infection but poorly understood.
- Bordetella pertussis requires high doses for rodent colonization, unlike B. bronchiseptica, suggesting competition influences host selection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of host microbiota in limiting Bordetella pertussis colonization.
- To explore how bacterial competition affects pathogen host specificity.
Main Methods:
- Comparing colonization doses of B. pertussis and B. bronchiseptica in mice.
- Assessing the impact of antibiotics and specific bacterial species on B. pertussis colonization.
- In vitro growth inhibition assays using bacteria isolated from murine nasal cavities.
Main Results:
- B. bronchiseptica efficiently colonized mice and displaced microbiota, while B. pertussis required higher doses and did not.
- Murine nasal bacteria inhibited B. pertussis growth in vitro.
- Antibiotic treatment reduced the infectious dose for B. pertussis, and single species like Staphylococcus or Klebsiella inhibited colonization.
Conclusions:
- Resident microorganisms play a significant role in preventing B. pertussis colonization and determining host specificity.
- These findings highlight the potential for microbiome manipulation to enhance the accuracy of animal models for infectious diseases.
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