Pathogenicity of Corynebacterium kutscheri in the Syrian hamster

The pathogenicity of Corynebacterium kutscheri isolated for the first time from Syrian hamster was experimentally studied in hamsters. In hamsters given intramuscular (i.m.) or subcutaneous (s.c.) inoculation with 10 or 10(3) bacteria, neither clinical signs nor gross lesions were found. In those given 10(5) bacteria i.m., moderate proliferation of granulation tissue was found in the muscle of the inoculation region at necropsy. In the animals given 10(5) bacteria s.c., a nodular lesion was observed at the inoculation site 2 days post-inoculation (p.i.), but the nodules subsided gradually from 6 days p.i. and were unclear 10 days p.i. At necropsy, small abscesses were found in all the animals in this group. In those given 10(7) bacteria either i.m. or s.c., lesions were clearly observed at the inoculation site 1 to 10 days p.i., and a large abscess was noted at necropsy. The organisms were isolated only from the lesions in the groups. Agglutinating antibody in the sera was detected only in the animals given 10(5) or 10(7) bacteria. This suggests that 10(5) of C. kutscheri are needed to form localized nodular abscesses in Syrian hamsters.