Lower respiratory tract infection in cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) infected with group A Streptococcus. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Group A Streptococcus (GAS), a human-specific pathogen, is best known for causing pharyngitis ("strep-throat") and necrotizing fasciitis ("flesh-eating disease"). However, the organism is also an uncommon but important cause of community-acquired bronchopneumonia, an infection with an exceptionally high mortality rate. Inasmuch as little is known about the molecular pathogenesis of GAS lower respiratory tract infection, we sought to develop a relevant human infection model. Nine cynomolgus macaques were infected by intra-bronchial instillation of either sterile saline or GAS (10(5) or 10(7) CFU). Animals were continuously monitored and sacrificed at five days post-inoculation. Serial bronchial alveolar lavage specimens and tissues collected at necropsy were used for histologic and immunohistochemical examination, quantitative microbial culture, lung and blood biomarker analysis, and in vivo GAS gene expression studies. The lower respiratory tract disease observed in cynomolgus macaques mimicked the clinical and pathological features of severe GAS bronchopneumonia in humans. This new monkey model will be useful for testing hypotheses bearing on the molecular pathogenesis of GAS in the lower respiratory tract.

authors

  • Olsen, Randall
  • Ashraf, Madiha
  • Gonulal, Vedia E
  • Ayeras, Ara A
  • Cantu, Concepcion
  • Shea, Patrick R
  • Carroll, Ronan K
  • Humbird, Tammy
  • Greaver, Jamieson L
  • Swain, Jody L
  • Chang, Ellen
  • Ragasa, Willie
  • Jenkins, Leslie
  • Lally, Kevin P
  • Blasdel, Terry
  • Cagle, Philip
  • Musser, James Mallory

publication date

  • July 30, 2010

Research

keywords

  • Bronchopneumonia
  • Monkey Diseases
  • Streptococcal Infections
  • Streptococcus pyogenes

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 77957805304

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/j.micpath.2010.06.012

PubMed ID

  • 20674736

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 49

issue

  • 6