Mice fatal pneumonia model induced by less-virulentvia intratracheal aerosolization.

Abstract

Animal models of fatal pneumonia caused by() have not been reliably generated using many strains of less virulent serotypes.Pulmonary infection of a less virulentserotype1 strain in the immunocompetent mice was established via the intratracheal aerosolization (ITA) route. The survival, local and systemic bacterial spread, pathological changes and inflammatory responses of this model were compared with those of mice challenged via the intratracheal instillation, intranasal instillation and intraperitoneal injection routes.ITA and intratracheal instillation both induced fatal pneumonia; however, ITA resulted in better lung bacterial deposition and distribution, pathological homogeneity and delivery efficiency.ITA is an optimal route for developing animal models of severe pulmonary infections.