Oral infection of mice with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium causes meningitis and infection of the brain.

Background: Salmonella meningitis is a rare and serious infection of the central nervous system following acute Salmonella enterica sepsis. For this pathogen, no appropriate model has been reported in which to examine infection kinetics and natural dissemination to the brain.

Methods: Five mouse lines including C57BL/6, Balb/c, 129S6-Slc11a1tm1Mcg, 129S1/SvImJ, B6.129-Inpp5dtm1Rkh were used in the murine typhoid model to examine the dissemination of systemic Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium following oral infection.

Results: We report data on spontaneous meningitis and brain infection following oral infection of mice with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium.

Conclusion: This model may provide a system in which dissemination of bacteria through the central nervous system and the influence of host and bacterial genetics can be queried.