Gnotobiotic Models for Study of the Microbial Ecology of Clostridium difficile and Escherichia coli

Hamster flora introduced into germfree mice reduced the cecum to conventional size, suppressed populations of Escherichia coli and Clostridium difficile to the same degree that mouse flora did, and corrected the hypocellularity that is characteristic of the small bowel of germfree mice. A highly tox...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of infectious diseases 1986-03, Vol.153 (3), p.547-551
Main Authors: Wilson, Kenneth H., Sheagren, John N., Freter, Rolf, Weatherbee, Lee, Lyerly, David
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Anti-Bacterial Agents - adverse effects
Bacterial diseases
Biological and medical sciences
Cecum - microbiology
Cefoxitin - adverse effects
Clostridium
Clostridium difficile
Colitis - chemically induced
Colitis - microbiology
Cricetinae
Disease models
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Escherichia coli
Experimental bacterial diseases and models
Flora
Germ free animals
Germ free state
Germ-Free Life
Gnotobiotics
Hamsters
Infectious diseases
Male
Medical sciences
Mesocricetus - microbiology
Mice
Original Articles
Toxins
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Summary:Hamster flora introduced into germfree mice reduced the cecum to conventional size, suppressed populations of Escherichia coli and Clostridium difficile to the same degree that mouse flora did, and corrected the hypocellularity that is characteristic of the small bowel of germfree mice. A highly toxigenic strain of C. difficile readily induced cecitis in germfree and antibiotic-treated conventional mice, and histological examination frequently revealed pseudomembranes. Toxins A and B were both detected in ceca of animals with colitis. Gnotobiotic mice provide a model in which to study the role of the indigenous microflora in protecting against antibiotic-associated colitis.
ISSN:0022-1899
1537-6613
DOI:10.1093/infdis/153.3.547