Establishing the median infectious dose and characterizing the clinical manifestations of mouse, rat, cow, and human Corynebacterium bovis isolates in select immunocompromised mouse strains Journal Article


Authors: Mendoza, G. Jr; Cheleuitte-Nieves, C.; Lertpiriyapong, K.; Wipf, J. R. K.; Ricart Arbona, R. J.; Miranda, I. C.; Lipman, N. S.
Article Title: Establishing the median infectious dose and characterizing the clinical manifestations of mouse, rat, cow, and human Corynebacterium bovis isolates in select immunocompromised mouse strains
Abstract: Corynebacterium bovis (Cb), the cause of hyperkeratotic dermatitis in various immunocompromised mouse strains, significantly impacts research outcomes if infected mice are used. Although Cb has been isolated from a variety of species, including mice, rats, cows, and humans, little is known about the differences in the infectivity and clinical disease that are associated with specific Cb isolates. The infectious dose that colonized 50% of the exposed population (ID50) and any associated clinical disease was determined in athymic nude mice (Hsd:Athymic Nude-Foxn1nu) inoculated with Cb isolates collected from mice (n = 5), rat (n = 1), cow (n = 1), and humans (n = 2) The same parameters were also determined for 2 of the mouse isolates in 2 furred immunocompromised mouse strains (NSG [NOD.Cg-PrkdcscidIl2rgtm1Wjl/Sz] and NSG-S [NOD.Cg-PrkdcscidIl2rgtm1Wjl Tg(CMV-IL3,CSF2,KITLG)1Eav/MloySzJ]). To determine the ID50, mice (n = 6/dose; 3 of each sex) were inoculated topically in 10-fold increments ranging from 1 to 108 bacteria. Mice were scored daily for 14 days for the severity of clinical signs. On days 7 and 14 after inoculation, buccal and dorsal skin swabs were evaluated by aerobic culture to determine infection status. The mouse isolates yielded lower ID50 values (58 to 1000 bacteria) than did the bovine (6460 to 7498 bacteria) and rat (10,000 bacteria) isolates. Human isolates did not colonize mice or cause disease. Mouse isolates produced clinical disease of varying severity in nude mice. Despite significant immunodeficiency, furred NSG and NSG-S mice required a 1000- to 3000-fold higher inoculum for colonization than did athymic nude mice. Once colonized, clinically detectable hyperkeratosis did not develop in the haired strains until 18 to 22 d after inoculation, whereas athymic nude mice that developed clinically detectable disease showed hyperkeratosis between 6 and 14 d after inoculation. In conclusion, there are significant differences in Cb’s ID50, disease course, and severity of clinical signs between Cb isolates and among immunodeficient mouse strains. Copyright 2023 by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science.
Keywords: mouse; animal; animals; mice; mice, scid; nude mouse; mice, nude; veterinary medicine; rat; cattle; rats; microbiology; mice, inbred nod; nonobese diabetic mouse; scid mouse; corynebacterium; corynebacterium bovis; bovine; corynebacterium infection; corynebacterium infections; humans; human; female
Journal Title: Comparative Medicine
Volume: 73
Issue: 3
ISSN: 1532-0820
Publisher: American Association for Laboratory Animal Science  
Date Published: 2023-06-01
Start Page: 200
End Page: 215
Language: English
DOI: 10.30802/aalas-cm-22-000115
PUBMED: 37277182
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC10290488
DOI/URL:
Notes: The MSK Cancer Center Support Grant (P30 CA008748) is acknowledged in the PDF -- Corresponding author is MSK author: Neil S Lipman -- Source: Scopus
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