Development of an immunocompetent murine model of pulmonary infection due to Scedosporium apiospermum

• Published in: Microbial pathogenesis 2020-05, Vol.142, p.104073-104073, Article 104073
• Main Authors: Luna-Rodríguez, Carolina E., Treviño-Rangel, Rogelio de J., Soto-Domínguez, Adolfo, Becerril-García, Miguel A., González-Montalvo, Martin A., Saldivar M, Andrea M., Rodríguez-Rocha, Humberto, Gonzalez, Gloria M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Endotracheal infection; Murine model; Scedosporiosis; Scedosporium apiospermum
• ISSN: 0882-4010; 1096-1208
• DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2020.104073

A pulmonary infection model due to Scedosporium apiospermum in immunocompetent mice was developed. BALB/c mice were infected by endotracheal intubation with 5 × 106 conidia/mouse and disease progression was evaluated on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 11, 16, 21, 30, 50 and 60 post-infection through quantitative culture and histopathological analysis of lungs, livers, spleens, brains, and kidneys. There was no extrapulmonary dissemination during the study nor shown to be a lethal infection. The fungal burden in lungs was maintained from day 1–5 and gradually decreased by day 30 post-challenge. On day 60, 30% of mice showed complete elimination of the fungus. Severe alterations in the lung tissue were observed, as well as the presence of conidia and hyphae surrounded by a cellular infiltrate composed mainly of neutrophils in the first days of the infection. The elimination of fungal cells and normal tissue morphology were recovered throughout the study. •The endotracheal intubation was an appropriate route of inoculation for immonocompetent murine pulmonary scedosporiosis.•Pulmonary scedosporiosis was not lethal during the 60 days of the study.•Under the conditions of this experimental infection there was no extrapulmonary dissemination during the study.•The pulmonary fungal burden decreased progressively throughout the study, and lung tissue morphology was recovered by day 60.