Related Experiment Videos
Intravenous infection of mice with Naegleria fowleri
Abstract:
Naegleria fowleri produced fatal meningoencephalitis in mice following intravenous (i.v.) inoculation. Amebae were present in the peripheral circulation for 120 minutes after i.v. inoculation with a dose of 10(7) trophozoites per mouse. Amebae were cultured from and observed in brain (days 1-21), lung (days 1-12), and liver and kidney (days 1-5). Infected mice exhibited weight loss, leukocytosis, reduced lymphocyte/neutrophil ratio, neurologic symptoms, and mortality. Histologically, the disease was characterized by an acute, hemorrhagic, necrotizing meningoencephalitis. Although amebae were detected in tissues other than brain, pathologic involvement of these tissues was minimal.
Insights
Naegleria fowleri caused fatal meningoencephalitis in mice after intravenous inoculation. Amebae circulated in blood and infected the brain, leading to severe neurological symptoms and death.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Neuroscience
- Parasitology
Background:
- Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba known to cause primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).
- PAM is a rare but almost invariably fatal infection of the central nervous system.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the pathogenesis and clinical course of Naegleria fowleri infection in a murine model.
- To characterize the dissemination and tissue tropism of Naegleria fowleri following intravenous inoculation.
Main Methods:
- Intravenous inoculation of mice with Naegleria fowleri trophozoites.
- Monitoring of amebic presence in circulation and tissues.
- Clinical and histological examination of infected mice.
Main Results:
- Naegleria fowleri caused fatal meningoencephalitis in mice.
- Amoebae were detected in the blood for up to 120 minutes post-inoculation.
- Infection led to amebic presence in the brain, lungs, liver, and kidneys, with minimal pathology in non-brain tissues.
Conclusions:
- Intravenous inoculation of Naegleria fowleri can establish a fatal meningoencephalitis in mice.
- The brain is the primary target organ, despite transient presence in other organs.
- This model provides insights into the host-pathogen interactions during Naegleria fowleri infection.