Arthritis after Experimental Infection with Yersinia enterocolitica 0:3 in Rabbits

Abstract

Arthritis in rabbits was caused after experimental oral infection with Yersinia enterocolitica (serotype 0:3, biotype 4, pYV+). Clinical and laboratory signs, bacterial dissemination to the viscera, immune response and morphological findings were studied from day 1 to day 40 post-infection (p.i.). Augmentation of body temperature and erythrocyte sedimentation rate occurred on day 1, and on day 8 p.i. was accompanied by leucopenia. The number of alveolar macrophages was increased up to the 15th day p.i., in contrast to peritoneal macrophage numbers. Extensive bacterial colonization of the internal organs was detected at necropsy until the end of the experiment. Analysis of the cell immune response revealed activation of B cells in peripheral blood, spleen and thymus as well as augmentation of T-cell number in the lymphoid organs examined on days 15, 28 and 40 p.i. Histological changes typical of a generalized infection, such as purulent meningoencephalitis, catarrhal pneumonia and lymphadenitis, were observed. Clinical and morphological manifestations of arthritis were also established. The results obtained show that Y. enterocolitica (serotype 0:3, pYV+) induces a generalized, non-lethal infection in Chinchilla rabbits, complicated by arthritis.

Experimental Mixed Infection of Rabbits with Yersinia enterocolitica and Listeria monocytogenes

“…It is worth noting that in the case with both of the above-mentioned infections pathomorphological changes appeared at the beginning of experiments, in contrast to yersinious mono-infection when the changes were observed only at the end intervals (days 15 and 28 p.i.). Interestingly, it was only after yersinious monoinfection (days 15 and 28 p.i) that inflammatory signs of reactive arthritis in joints, similar to those already described in the rabbit model were observed (Vesselinova et al, 2001).…”

Proper expression of the O-antigen of lipopolysaccharide is essential for the virulence ofYersinia enterocoliticaO:8 in experimental oral infection of rabbits

“…It is worth noting that the pathogenic potential of the wzz and wzy strains had not been tested earlier. Rabbits proved to be a suitable and reproducible animal model as also demonstrated earlier [18–22].…”

Experimental Infections with Wild and Mutant Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Strains in Rabbits

“…As rabbits have been shown to be suitable and reproducible animal model to examine the course of intestinal Yersinia infection by many authors (Pai et al, 1980;Heesemann et al, 1988;Vesselinova et al, 2001), we compared some parameters of the infectious process of the virulent Y. pseudotuberculosis strain with that of the yopK and ypkA mutants. It was followed clinical findings, bacterial colonization of brain and viscera, sensitivity to bactericidal activity of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNL) and blood sera, antibody response, pathomorphological and immunomorphological changes after oral infection with wild and mutant strains of Y. pseudotuberculosis.…”