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Updated: Apr 19, 2026
Author Spotlight: Marmoset Research - Scope and Challenges
Published on: June 9, 2023
Comparative experimental subcutaneous glanders and melioidosis in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus)
Michelle Nelson1, Francisco J Salguero, Rachel E Dean
1Biomedical Sciences, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK.
Abstract:
Glanders and melioidosis are caused by two distinct Burkholderia species and have generally been considered to have similar disease progression. While both of these pathogens are HHS/CDC Tier 1 agents, natural infection with both these pathogens is primarily through skin inoculation. The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) was used to compare disease following experimental subcutaneous challenge. Acute, lethal disease was observed in marmosets following challenge with between 26 and 1.2 × 10(8) cfu Burkholderia pseudomallei within 22-85 h. The reproducibility and progression of the disease were assessed following a challenge of 1 × 10(2) cfu of B. pseudomallei. Melioidosis was characterised by high levels of bacteraemia, focal microgranuloma progressing to non-necrotic multifocal solid lesions in the livers and spleens and multi-organ failure. Lethal disease was observed in 93% of animals challenged with Burkholderia mallei, occurring between 5 and 10.6 days. Following challenge with 1 × 10(2) cfu of B. mallei, glanders was characterised with lymphatic spread of the bacteria and non-necrotic, multifocal solid lesions progressing to a multifocal lesion with severe necrosis and pneumonia. The experimental results confirmed that the disease pathology and presentation is strikingly different between the two pathogens. The marmoset provides a model of the human syndrome for both diseases facilitating the development of medical countermeasures.
Insights
Glanders and melioidosis, caused by distinct Burkholderia species, present different disease progressions in marmosets. This study highlights the marmoset as a valuable model for understanding these HHS/CDC Tier 1 agents and developing medical countermeasures.
Area of Science:
- Comparative pathology
- Infectious diseases
- Zoonotic pathogens
Background:
- Glanders and melioidosis are caused by Burkholderia species, often considered to have similar disease progression.
- Both pathogens are HHS/CDC Tier 1 agents, with natural infection primarily via skin inoculation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the distinct disease progression of glanders and melioidosis in a non-human primate model.
- To evaluate the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) as a model for human syndromes caused by Burkholderia species.
Main Methods:
- Experimental subcutaneous challenge of common marmosets with Burkholderia pseudomallei (melioidosis) and Burkholderia mallei (glanders).
- Assessment of disease progression, pathology, and survival rates following controlled bacterial inoculation.
Main Results:
- Burkholderia pseudomallei caused acute, lethal melioidosis characterized by high bacteraemia, multi-organ failure, and non-necrotic lesions.
- Burkholderia mallei caused lethal glanders in 93% of animals, with distinct pathology including lymphatic spread, necrosis, and pneumonia.
Conclusions:
- Glanders and melioidosis exhibit strikingly different disease pathologies and presentations in the common marmoset model.
- The marmoset model effectively replicates human disease syndromes, facilitating the development of medical countermeasures against these pathogens.
