Modelling of Cerebral Tuberculosis: Hope for Continuous Research in Solving the Enigma of the Bottom Billion’s Disease
- Author:
Rogelio Hernández Pando
- Publication Type:Letter
- Keywords:
experimental models, infectious diseases, meningeal tuberculosis, mice, Mycobacterium, virulence
- From:Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences
2011;18(1):12-15
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Cerebral tuberculosis is a severe type of extrapulmonary disease that is highly predominant in
children. It is thought that meningeal tuberculosis, the most common form of cerebral tuberculosis,
begins with respiratory infection followed by early haematogenous dissemination to extrapulmonary
sites involving the brain. Host genetic susceptibility factors and specific mycobacteria substrains
could be involved in the development of this serious form of tuberculosis. In this editorial the
different animal models of cerebral tuberculosis are commented, highlighting a recently described
murine model in which BALB/c mice were infected by the intratracheal route with clinical isolates,
which exhibited rapid dissemination and brain infection. These strains were isolated from the
cerebrospinal fluid of patients with meningeal tuberculosis; they showed specific genotype and
induced a peculiar immune response in the infected brain. This model could be a useful tool to study
host and bacilli factors involved in the pathogenesis of the most severe form of tuberculosis.
- Full text:W020151022536419409608.pdf
