Infections withPasteurella multocidacan cause significant zoonotic respiratory problems in both humans and animals.In vivotests in mouse infection models were used to investigate the mechanisms of respiratory epithelial barrier dysfunction during respiratory bacterial infection with these pathogens. Results revealed thatP. multocidainfection significantly increased epithelial permeability and increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in murine tracheae and lungs. In murine lung epithelial cell (MLE-12) models,P. multocidainfection decreased the expression of tight junctions (ZO-1) and adherens junctions (β-catenin, E-cadherin), but induced the activation of the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and VEGFA signaling. When expression of HIF-1α is suppressed, the induction of VEGFA and ZO-1expression byP. multocidainfection is decreased. We also found that intervention of HIF-1α and VEGFA signaling affected infection outcomes caused by respiratory bacteria in mouse models. Most importantly, we demonstrated thatP. multocidainfection increased permeability of human respiratory epithelial cells and this process was associated with the activation of the HIF-1α and VEGFA signaling and likely contributes to the pathogenesis ofP. multocidain humans.