<i>Galleria mellonella</i> Invertebrate Model Mirrors the Pathogenic Potential of <i>Mycoplasma alligatoris</i> within the Natural Host.

ABSTRACT: Most mycoplasmal infections result in chronic, clinically silent disease. In direct contrast, Mycoplasma alligatoris elicits a fulminant, multisystem disease in the natural host, Alligator mississippiensis (American alligator). The goals of the study were to better understand the disease in the natural host and to determine if the invertebrate model G. mellonella could serve as a surrogate alternate host. The survival of alligators infected intratracheally was dose dependent (p=0.0003), ranging from no mortality (10² CFU) to 100% mortality (10⁸ CFU), with 60% mortality at the 10⁴ and 10⁵ CFU infectious dose. Microbial load in blood, joints, and brain was dose dependent, regardless of whether alligators were infected in

SUBMITTER: Burne AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12017031 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature