A New Model of Chronic Mycobacterium abscessus Lung Infection in Immunocompetent Mice.

ABSTRACT: Pulmonary infections caused by Mycobacterium abscessus (MA) have increased over recent decades, affecting individuals with underlying pathologies such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis and, especially, cystic fibrosis. The lack of a representative and standardized model of chronic infection in mice has limited steps forward in the field of MA pulmonary infection. To overcome this challenge, we refined the method of agar beads to establish MA chronic infection in immunocompetent mice. We evaluated bacterial count, lung pathology and markers of inflammation and we performed longitudinal studies with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) up to three months after MA infection. In this model, MA was able to establish a persistent lung infection for up to two months and with mi

SUBMITTER: Riva C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7554715 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature