Experimental ocular tuberculosis in guinea pigs.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To develop an animal model of intraocular tuberculosis (TB) with features of pulmonary TB and extrapulmonary dissemination to the eye.

Methods

Hartley strain guinea pigs were infected via an aerosol route with virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis. One group of guinea pigs was infected with a relatively low bacterial inoculum and received no treatment. A second group of guinea pigs received high-dose infection and were treated with the first-line anti-TB drugs isoniazid, rifampin, and pyrazinamide. Development of ocular TB lesions was documented by histological analysis, acid-fast staining, and real-time polymerase chain reaction for M tuberculosis DNA.

Results

Untreated guinea pigs developed pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB. Ocular TB, primarily involving the

SUBMITTER: Rao NA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3062475 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature