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World J Gastroenterol. Dec 7, 2008; 14(45): 6954-6959
Published online Dec 7, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.6954
First attempt to produce experimental Campylobacter concisus infection in mice
Rune Aabenhus, Unne Stenram, Leif Percival Andersen, Henrik Permin, Åsa Ljungh
Rune Aabenhus, Department of Clinical Microbiology, National University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
Unne Stenram, Department of Pathology, University of Lund, Lund 22185, Sweden
Leif Percival Andersen, Department of Infectious Control and Prevention, National University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
Henrik Permin, Department of Internal Medicine, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen 2200, Denmark
Åsa Ljungh, Department of Medical Microbiology, Dermatology and Infection, Lund University, Lund 22185, Sweden
Author contributions: Aabenhus R, Permin H, Andersen LP and Ljungh Å designed the research. Aabenhus R and Stenram U performed the research. Aabenhus R, Andersen LP, Ljungh Å and Stenram U analysed the data. Aabenhus R and Stenram U wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Leif Percival Andersen, MD, Depart-ment of Infectious Control and Prevention, National University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100, Denmark. lpa@rh.dk
Telephone: +45-35455569 Fax: +45-35456869
Received: January 28, 2008
Revised: November 12, 2008
Accepted: November 19, 2008
Published online: December 7, 2008
Abstract

AIM: To infect mice with atypical Campylobacter concisus (C. concisus) for the first time.

METHODS: Three separate experiments were conducted in order to screen the ability of five clinical C. concisus isolates of intestinal origin and the ATCC 33237 type strain of oral origin to colonize and produce infection in immunocompetent BALB/cA mice. The majority of the BALB/cA mice were treated with cyclophosphamide prior to C. concisus inoculation to suppress immune functions. Inoculation of C. concisus was performed by the gastric route.

RESULTS: C. concisus was isolated from the liver, ileum and jejunum of cyclophosphamide-treated mice in the first experiment. No C. concisus strains were isolated in the two subsequent experiments. Mice infected with C. concisus showed a significant loss of body weight from day two through to day five of infection but this decreased at the end of the first week. Histopathological examination did not consistently find signs of inflammation in the gut, but occasionally microabscesses were found in the liver of infected animals.

CONCLUSION: Transient colonization with C. concisus was observed in mice with loss of body weight. Future studies should concentrate on the first few days after inoculation and in other strains of mice.

Keywords: Animal model, BALB/cA mice, Campylobacter concisus, Colonization, Infection