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Comparative experimental subcutaneous glanders and melioidosis in the common marmoset ( C allithrix jacchus )
Author(s) -
Nelson Michelle,
Salguero Francisco J.,
Dean Rachel E.,
Ngugi Sarah A.,
Smither Sophie J.,
Atkins Timothy P.,
Lever Mark S.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
international journal of experimental pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.671
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1365-2613
pISSN - 0959-9673
DOI - 10.1111/iep.12105
Subject(s) - melioidosis , burkholderia pseudomallei , marmoset , callithrix , pneumonia , biology , burkholderia , pathology , lesion , medicine , immunology , bacteria , paleontology , genetics
Summary Glanders and melioidosis are caused by two distinct Burkholderia species and have generally been considered to have similar disease progression. While both of these pathogens are HHS / CDC Tier 1 agents, natural infection with both these pathogens is primarily through skin inoculation. The common marmoset ( C allithrix jacchus ) was used to compare disease following experimental subcutaneous challenge. Acute, lethal disease was observed in marmosets following challenge with between 26 and 1.2 × 10 8 cfu Burkholderia pseudomallei within 22–85 h. The reproducibility and progression of the disease were assessed following a challenge of 1 × 10 2 cfu of B . pseudomallei . Melioidosis was characterised by high levels of bacteraemia, focal microgranuloma progressing to non‐necrotic multifocal solid lesions in the livers and spleens and multi‐organ failure. Lethal disease was observed in 93% of animals challenged with B urkholderia mallei, occurring between 5 and 10.6 days. Following challenge with 1 × 10 2 cfu of B . mallei , glanders was characterised with lymphatic spread of the bacteria and non‐necrotic, multifocal solid lesions progressing to a multifocal lesion with severe necrosis and pneumonia. The experimental results confirmed that the disease pathology and presentation is strikingly different between the two pathogens. The marmoset provides a model of the human syndrome for both diseases facilitating the development of medical countermeasures.