Assessing Pseudomonas virulence using mammalian models: acute infection model.

The acute murine lung infection model monitors Pseudomonas aeruginosa airway infections by multiple continuous and endpoint parameters. After intratracheal or intranasal infection it characterizes the course of infection via head-out spirometry, rectal temperature, weight loss, a body condition score based on nine physiological parameters, lung bacterial numbers, organ dissemination of bacteria, and a semiquantitative assessment of lung inflammation and further analysis. The generated data allows a robust classification of virulence of mutant or wild-type P. aeruginosa strains and/or of the susceptibility of wild-type or engineered mouse strains to infection. If standardized, the model is applicable to the preclinical assessment of antipseudomonal prevention and intervention strategies.