A historical perspective on animal modeling of infectious diseases

In 1835, Agostino Bassi demonstrated that muscardine in silkworms was a fungal disease, thus providing one of the very first pieces of evidence for an infectious etiology. The demonstration that microorganisms could cause infectious diseases in mammals and be responsible for contagion was firmly established in the 19th century. This was achieved through experiments involving the transfer of putrid matter or samples from infected animals and/or patients to healthy subjects. Three infectious diseases - anthrax, septicemia, and tuberculosis - were the subject of extensive research. Casimir Davaine was the first, in 1863, to demonstrate the involvement of bacteria in the transmission of anthrax in mammals; he also conducted important comparative studies on septicemia in different animal species. For his part, Élie Metchnikoff was undoubtedly the researcher who used the greatest diversity of animal species in his experiments, from chimpanzees to study syphilis to alligators to study tetanus toxin. In the 19th century, researchers primarily used rabbits and guinea pigs to study the transmissibility of pathogens, while different animal species were studied for their susceptibility to various microbial agents. A different approach emerged in the mid-20th century, when researchers increasingly attempted to transfer pathogens to rats and mice, thus forcing them to develop infectious disease, while the rodents proved remarkably resistant to most microbial pathogens. This review is an opportunity to pay tribute to brilliant instigators who have remained too long in the shadow of the more famous.