Reproducible topical staphylococcal infection in rats

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Surgical Pathology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Developing reliable infection models is crucial for antimicrobial efficacy studies.
• Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of surgical site infections.
• Evaluating topical antimicrobials requires a relevant and reproducible animal model.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a topical infection model for assessing antimicrobial effectiveness.
• To establish a reproducible method for inducing Staphylococcus aureus stitch abscesses.
• To provide a platform for the evaluation of topical antimicrobials against S. aureus wound infections.

Main Methods:

• A laparotomy surgical model was employed in animals.
• Sutures were inoculated with a characterized strain of Staphylococcus aureus.
• Bacterial concentrations ranging from 5 x 10(4) to 10(8) cells per incision were used.
• Phage typing and antibiotic spectrum determination of the test organism were performed.

Main Results:

• The surgical procedure resulted in reproducible large body wall stitch abscesses.
• Abscesses occasionally presented with drainage through the skin.
• The model demonstrated sensitivity to bacterial inoculum concentrations.
• The induced infection reliably mimicked aspects of S. aureus stitch abscesses.

Conclusions:

• A reproducible laparotomy infection model for studying topical antimicrobials was successfully developed.
• This model is suitable for evaluating the efficacy of topical agents in preventing Staphylococcus aureus stitch abscesses.
• The model offers a valuable tool for preclinical assessment of new antimicrobial strategies for wound infections.