Open AccessExperimental endogenous septicaemia caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli in mice
Author(s) -
Yoichi Hirakata,
Nobuhiko Furuya,
Tetsuya Matsumoto,
Kazuhiro Tateda,
Keizo Yamaguchi
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of medical microbiology/journal of medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.91
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1473-5644
pISSN - 0022-2615
DOI - 10.1099/00222615-44-3-211
Subject(s) - klebsiella pneumoniae , microbiology and biotechnology , escherichia coli , enterobacteriaceae , ceftazidime , pseudomonas aeruginosa , biology , ampicillin , pathogen , inoculation , virology , antibiotics , bacteria , immunology , biochemistry , genetics , gene
Multi-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae have recently occurred in several nosocomial outbreaks of septicaemia. An animal model resembling the pathophysiology of these infections in man would be very useful. A new model of endogenous septicaemia caused by K. pneumoniae and Escherichia coli strains in mice has been established. The mortality rate of conventional ddY mice given cyclophosphamide (CY) or fluorouracil (5-FU), each 200 mg/kg intraperitoneally, every other day was 70 and 100%, respectively. Pseudomonas aeruginosa septicaemia was observed in all dead mice treated with CY, whereas Enterobacteriaceae, including K. pneumoniae, were isolated from 90% of mice given 5-FU. Specific-pathogen-free mice, decontaminated with ampicillin and ceftazidime, were given multi-resistant K. pneumoniae CF504, CF514 or E. coli CF604, or CF614 carrying CAZ-1/TEM-5 plasmid by oral inoculation. Subsequent dosing with 5-FU induced lethal septicaemia caused by the inoculated strains in most of these mice, whereas CY did not regularly induce septicaemia. This model with 5-FU is considered to resemble closely the situation observed in man and to be beneficial for investigating pathophysiology and therapeutic strategies.