Mycobacterium marinum causes both long-term subclinical infection and acute disease in the leopard frog (Rana pipiens).
Journal Article (Journal Article)
Mycobacterium marinum grows at an optimal temperature of 33 degrees C, far lower than that for M. tuberculosis. Consequently, M. marinum infection of mammals is restricted largely to the cooler surfaces of the body, such as the extremities, but it causes a systemic infection in a large number of poikilothermic animals. Here, we describe a laboratory animal model for M. marinum disease in the leopard frog (Rana pipiens), a natural host species. M. marinum causes a chronic granulomatous, nonlethal disease in immunocompetent frogs. Immunosuppression of the frogs with hydrocortisone results in an acute, fulminant, lethal disease. This animal model, in which a spectrum of tuberculosis-like disease can be produced, will be useful for the dissection of the genetic basis of mycobacterial pathogenesis.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Ramakrishnan, L; Valdivia, RH; McKerrow, JH; Falkow, S
Published Date
- February 1997
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 65 / 2
Start / End Page
- 767 - 773
PubMed ID
- 9009340
Pubmed Central ID
- PMC176123
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 0019-9567
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1128/iai.65.2.767-773.1997
Language
- eng
Conference Location
- United States