Unique Presentations of < em > Burkholderia gladioli < /em > Infections in Several Strains of Immunocompromised Mice

Comp Med. 2023 Oct 29;73(5):391-397.ABSTRACTFour strains of experimentally naïve mice (NOD. Cg-Prkdc scid Il2rg tm1Wjl /SzJ [NSG], NOD. Cg- Rag1 tm1Mom Il2rg tm1Wjl /SzJ [NRG], B6.129S(Cg)-Stat1 tm1Dlv/J [STAT1 -/-], and B6.129S7- Ifngr1 tm1Agt/J[IFNγR -/-] housed in a barrier facility developed unusual and seemingly unrelated clinical signs. Young NSG/NRG mice (n = 49, mean age = 4 ± 0.4 mo) exhibited nonspecific clinical signs of moderate-to-severe lethargy, hunched posture, decreased body condition, and pallor. In contrast to the NSG/NRG mice, the STAT1-/- and IFNγ R-/- mice (n = 5) developed large subcutaneous abscesses on the head and neck. These mice were euthanized, and samples were collected for culture. NSG/NRG mice had moderate-markedly enlarged livers (20 of 49, 40%) and spleens (17 of 49, 35%). The livers contained multiple, variably-sized, tan regions throughout all lobes. Histology revealed necrotizing hepatitis (13 of 17, 77%), splenic and hepatic extramedullary hematopoiesis (17 of 17, 100%), glomerular histiocytosis (6 of 17, 35%), and metritis (6 of 11, 55%) with perivascular inflammation, suggesting hematogenous spread Differentials for these lesions included mouse hepatitis virus, ectromelia virus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella spp., and Clostridium piliforme. Burkholderia gladioli was cultured from liver lesions and subcutaneous abscesses and confirmed with 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. After completing systematic testing of the environment, fail...
Source: Comparative Medicine - Category: Zoology Authors: Source Type: research