Comparative evaluation of establishing a human gut microbial community within rodent models.

The structure of the human gut microbial community is determined by host genetics and environmental factors, where alterations in its structure have been associated with the onset of different diseases. Establishing a defined human gut microbial community within inbred rodent models provides a means to study microbial-related pathologies, however, an in-depth comparison of the established human gut microbiota in the different models is lacking. We compared the efficiency of establishing the bacterial component of a defined human microbial community within germ-free (GF) rats, GF mice, and antibiotic-treated specific pathogen-free mice.

Coping with parvovirus infections in mice: health surveillance and control.

Parvoviruses of mice, minute virus of mice (MVM) and mouse parvovirus (MPV), are challenging pathogens to eradicate from laboratory animal facilities. Due to the impediment on rodent-based research, recent studies have focused on the assessment of re-derivation techniques and parvoviral potential to induce persistent infections. Summarizing recent data, this review gives an overview on studies associated with parvoviral impact on research, diagnostic methods, parvoviral persistence and re-derivation techniques, demonstrating the complex nature of parvovirus infection in mice and unfolding the challenge of controlling parvovirus infections in laboratory animal facilities.

Presence of Minute virus of mice in immunocompetent mice despite the onset of host immunity.

Infections with the autonomous parvovirus Minute virus of mice (MVM) are generally characterized as acute and self-limiting. However, MVM remains with considerably high prevalence rates in laboratory mouse colonies impeding rodent based research. The objective of this study was to assess whether the immunosuppressive variant of MVM (MVMi) establishes a persistent infection in immunocompetent adult mice.

Risk assessment of minute virus of mice transmission during rederivation: detection in reproductive organs, gametes, and embryos of mice after in vivo infection.

Murine parvoviruses, including minute virus of mice (MVM), represent major infectious disease problems encountered in contemporary laboratory animal research facilities with embryo transfer (ET), one of the most widely used techniques for rederivation. Using an in vivo approach, the objectives of this study were to assess the risk of MVM transmission during rederivation and to provide data that allow recommendation of preventive measures. Therefore, we determined whether immunosuppressive variant MVMi viral DNA is detectable in reproductive organs, gametes (oocytes and spermatozoa), and embryos collected from experimentally infected mice and whether washing as recommended before ET eliminates MVMi sufficiently from gametes and embryos.

CpG motifs of bacterial DNA exert protective effects in mouse models of IBD by antigen-independent tolerance induction.

Background & Aims: Prophylactic treatment of mice with CpG motifs of bacterial DNA protects from experimental inflammatory bowel disease, at least partly via induction of inhibitory T-cells. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether these CpG-dependent protective effects require presence of bacterial flora suggesting antigen-specific regulatory activity.

Methods: Germ-free BALB/c and IL-10(-/-) mice were treated with CpG-oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN), control-ODN, or PBS.

Minute virus of mice: antibody response, viral shedding, and persistence of viral DNA in multiple strains of mice.

Minute virus of mice (MVM) is a major concern for laboratory animal facilities because it remains with considerably high prevalence despite strict barrier systems. The aim of this study was to elucidate potential risks associated with MVM infection by investigating the role of the genetic background on antibody production and persistence as well as viral shedding. Mice of various strains and stocks were inoculated oronasally with the immunosuppressive strain MVMi; in addition, natural infection was modeled through contact exposure.

Sensitivity to Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 in mice is dependent on environment and genetic background.

Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) is a well-characterized probiotic bacterium. Although genomic comparisons of EcN with the uropathogenic E. coli strain CFT073 revealed high degrees of similarity, EcN is generally considered a non-pathogenic organism.