Mouse model of infected wound

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Wound Healing Research

Background:

• Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common opportunistic pathogen causing difficult-to-treat infections.
• Developing reliable experimental models is crucial for studying infection dynamics and evaluating treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish and validate a localized Pseudomonas aeruginosa wound infection model in mice.
• To assess bacterial clearance and wound healing progression over time in this model.

Main Methods:

• Experimental wound creation and localized injection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in mice.
• Quantification of bacterial colony-forming units (CFUs) in muscle tissue at multiple time points (days 1, 2, 3, and 8).
• Histological examination of skin and muscle tissue to evaluate wound healing.

Main Results:

• Bacterial load (CFUs) decreased significantly from day 1 to day 8 but remained above the critical threshold for clinical infection (10^5 CFU/g).
• Histological analysis revealed that wound healing processes initiated by day 3, with wounds being practically healed by day 8.
• The model demonstrated a dynamic interplay between bacterial presence and the host's healing response.

Conclusions:

• The developed mouse model provides a reproducible system for studying localized Pseudomonas aeruginosa wound infections.
• This model is suitable for evaluating the efficacy of novel antibacterial agents against P. aeruginosa wound infections.
• The findings highlight the importance of sustained antibacterial action to overcome the critical bacterial load for complete resolution.