Nonmammalian models to study Clostridioides difficile infection; a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Toxicology

Background:

• Clostridioides difficile is a major cause of infectious diarrhea globally, posing a significant public health threat.
• Mammalian models are standard for studying C. difficile infection (CDI) but present challenges in cost, throughput, and ethics.
• There is a growing need for alternative models to study CDI pathogenesis and develop effective treatments.

Approach:

• This review comprehensively summarizes the use of nonmammalian models for studying CDI.
• Identified studies utilized various nonmammalian systems, including the great wax worm, nematode, fruit fly, and zebrafish.
• The review analyzes the application of these models in investigating C. difficile infection, pathogenicity, colonization, host immunity, and therapeutic interventions.

Key Points:

• Nonmammalian models are effectively employed to investigate C. difficile infection dynamics.
• These alternative models facilitate research into host-pathogen interactions and immune responses during CDI.
• Studies using nonmammalian models have explored various therapeutic strategies against C. difficile.

Conclusions:

• Nonmammalian models offer viable, cost-effective, and high-throughput alternatives for CDI research.
• Each nonmammalian model presents unique strengths and weaknesses that influence their suitability for specific research questions.
• Further research utilizing these models can accelerate the development of novel CDI therapies and prevention strategies.