Premium
Experimental respiratory anthrax infection in the common marmoset ( Callithrix jacchus )
Author(s) -
Lever Mark S.,
Stagg Anthony J.,
Nelson Michelle,
Pearce Peter,
Stevens Daniel J.,
Scott Elizabeth A. M.,
Simpson Andrew J. H.,
Fulop Mark J.
Publication year - 2008
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/j.1365-2613.2008.00581.x
Subject(s) - marmoset , callithrix , bacillus anthracis , rhesus macaque , macaque , biology , virology , immunology , medicine , genetics , bacteria , paleontology
Summary Inhalational anthrax is a rare but potentially fatal infection in man. The common marmoset ( Callithrix jacchus ) was evaluated as a small non‐human primate (NHP) model of inhalational anthrax infection, as an alternative to larger NHP species. The marmoset was found to be susceptible to inhalational exposure to Bacillus anthracis Ames strain. The pathophysiology of infection following inhalational exposure was similar to that previously reported in the rhesus and cynomolgus macaque and humans. The calculated LD 50 for B. anthracis Ames strain in the marmoset was 1.47 × 10 3 colony‐forming units, compared with a published LD 50 of 5.5 × 10 4 spores in the rhesus macaque and 4.13 × 10 3 spores in the cynomolgus macaque. This suggests that the common marmoset is an appropriate alternative NHP and will be used for the evaluation of medical countermeasures against respiratory anthrax infection.