Use of the common marmoset to study Burkholderia mallei infection.
Authors: Jelesijevic Tomislav, Zimmerman Shawn M, Harvey Stephen B, Mead Daniel G, Shaffer Teresa L, Estes D Mark, Michel Frank, Quinn Frederick D, Hogan Robert J, Lafontaine Eric R
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Common Marmoset Model for Burkholderia mallei Infection Glanders, caused by the host-adapted bacterium *Burkholderia mallei*, remains endemic across Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America, presenting significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in equine populations with no available vaccine and poor treatment success rates despite prolonged antibiotic courses. Researchers established a common marmoset (*Callithrix jacchus*) model of intranasal infection to better understand disease pathogenesis and develop countermeasures, particularly given biosecurity concerns surrounding this organism. At higher inocula (2.5 × 10⁴ to 2.5 × 10⁵ CFU), 83% of marmosets developed acute lethal infection within 3–4 days characterised by severe respiratory disease, conjunctivitis, haemorrhagic nasal discharge and systemic dissemination to lungs, spleen and liver; lower doses (25–2.5 × 10³ CFU) produced mild, self-limiting illness in 91% of animals, with one animal developing moderate disease by day 8. The dose-dependent response and reproducible pathology mirroring natural equine glanders make the marmoset a viable pre-clinical model for investigating host–pathogen interactions and evaluating therapeutic and immunological interventions. Equine professionals should recognise this research underpins translational work that may eventually improve diagnostic tools and treatment protocols for this notifiable disease in horses.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Not applicable to equine practice — this is a non-equine primate model study for human medical research into glanders pathogenesis and countermeasures
Key Findings
- •83% of marmosets infected intranasally with B. mallei at doses of 2.5×10⁴ to 2.5×10⁵ bacteria developed acute lethal infection within 3-4 days
- •Clinical signs included lethargy, inappetence, conjunctivitis, mucopurulent and hemorrhagic nasal discharges, and increased respiratory effort
- •B. mallei was cultured from lungs, spleen and liver with pathologic lesions characteristic of glanders
- •Lower dose challenge (25 to 2.5×10³ bacteria) produced mild non-specific illness in 91% of animals with negative cultures