Bolz, Miriam; Ruggli, Nicolas; Borel, Nicole; Pluschke, Gerd; Ruf, Marie-Thérèse (2016). Local Cellular Immune Responses and Pathogenesis of Buruli Ulcer Lesions in the Experimental Mycobacterium Ulcerans Pig Infection Model. PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 10(4), e0004678. Public Library of Science 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004678
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BACKGROUND
Buruli ulcer is a neglected tropical disease of the skin that is caused by infection with Mycobacterium ulcerans. We recently established an experimental pig (Sus scrofa) infection model for Buruli ulcer to investigate host-pathogen interactions, the efficacy of candidate vaccines and of new treatment options.
METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
Here we have used the model to study pathogenesis and early host-pathogen interactions in the affected porcine skin upon infection with mycolactone-producing and non-producing M. ulcerans strains. Histopathological analyses of nodular lesions in the porcine skin revealed that six weeks after infection with wild-type M. ulcerans bacteria extracellular acid fast bacilli were surrounded by distinct layers of neutrophils, macrophages and lymphocytes. Upon ulceration, the necrotic tissue containing the major bacterial burden was sloughing off, leading to the loss of most of the mycobacteria. Compared to wild-type M. ulcerans bacteria, toxin-deficient mutants caused an increased granulomatous cellular infiltration without massive tissue necrosis, and only smaller clusters of acid fast bacilli.
CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE
In summary, the present study shows that the pathogenesis and early immune response to M. ulcerans infection in the pig is very well reflecting BU disease in humans, making the pig infection model an excellent tool for the profiling of new therapeutic and prophylactic interventions.
Item Type: |
Journal Article (Original Article) |
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Division/Institute: |
05 Veterinary Medicine > Research Foci > Host-Pathogen Interaction 05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology (DIP) > Institute of Virology and Immunology 05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology (DIP) |
UniBE Contributor: |
Ruggli, Nicolas |
Subjects: |
500 Science > 570 Life sciences; biology 600 Technology > 630 Agriculture |
ISSN: |
1935-2727 |
Publisher: |
Public Library of Science |
Language: |
English |
Submitter: |
Pamela Schumacher |
Date Deposited: |
23 Mar 2017 13:43 |
Last Modified: |
05 Dec 2022 15:03 |
Publisher DOI: |
10.1371/journal.pntd.0004678 |
PubMed ID: |
27128097 |
BORIS DOI: |
10.7892/boris.96153 |
URI: |
https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/96153 |
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