Prairie dog model for antimicrobial agent-induced Clostridium difficile diarrhea

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Veterinary Medicine
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Antibiotic administration can disrupt gut microbiota, leading to opportunistic infections.
• Clostridium difficile is a significant cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea.
• Animal models are crucial for understanding C. difficile pathogenesis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test the hypothesis that cefoxitin induces Clostridium difficile cecitis in prairie dogs.
• To evaluate the prairie dog as a potential animal model for studying antibiotic-induced diarrhea.

Main Methods:

• Six prairie dogs received a single intramuscular dose of cefoxitin (100 mg/kg).
• Six control prairie dogs received saline.
• Animals were sacrificed one week later for analysis of cecal contents and tissues.

Main Results:

• Cefoxitin-treated animals exhibited significant diarrhea (P < 0.001) and weight loss (16%, P < 0.001) compared to controls.
• Clostridium difficile was isolated from cecal contents of all cefoxitin-treated animals (P < 0.01).
• Cecal cytotoxin and pseudomembranes were detected in cefoxitin-treated animals, indicating C. difficile cecitis.

Conclusions:

• Cefoxitin administration induces Clostridium difficile cecitis in prairie dogs.
• The prairie dog serves as a viable animal model for studying antibiotic-induced diarrhea.
• The chronic nature of the disease in this model may offer unique insights into C. difficile infections.