Intense exercise stress may trigger Corynebacterium kutscheri infection in Sprague-Dawley rats

Year 2023, Volume: 8 Issue: 2, 136 - 144, 31.08.2023

Emrah İpek , Erkmen Tuğrul Epikmen , Çağatay Nuhay , Recai Tunca

https://doi.org/10.24880/maeuvfd.1249794

Abstract

In this study, Corynebacterium kutscheri infection was reported in Sprague-Dawley rats that were stressed due to intense exercise during an experimental study. Weight loss, indifference to the environment, fluffy feathers, and hunched posture were observed in affected rats. The lungs contained numerous, randomly distributed, variably sized, slightly raised, cream-colored caseopurulent foci. There were occasional weak adhesions between the lung lobes and the adjacent costal pleura. Multifocal to coalescing necro-suppurative pneumonia with intralesional scattered large colonies of bacteria was observed histopathologically. Adjacent in the pulmonary parenchyma, interalveolar hypercellularity, type II pneumocyte hyperplasia, fibrinonecrotic vasculitis, and pleuritis were observed. Brown-Breen staining revealed gram-positive cocobacilli in the lesion areas. Furthermore, cardiac lesions in which the atria were more severely affected than the ventricles were identified. This lesion was characterized by thickening of the epicardium with intense infiltrates of macrophages admixed with scattered neutrophils. In severely affected rats, this lesion was also involved to the underlying myocardium. Bacterial culture yielded positive growth for C. kutsheri from the lesioned organ. Polymerase chain reaction was used to confirm the presence of genetic material for C. kutscheri. As a result, it was revealed that Sprague-Dawley rats were infected with C. kutscheri due to intense exercise stress. Periodic controls of C. kutscheri have been suggested in units where experimental animals are raised, both because of its negative effects on the results of the studies to be conducted and because of its zoonotic nature.

Keywords

Corynebacterium kutscheri, rodent, stress, pathology

References

• 1. Amano, H., Akimoto, T., Takahashi, K. W., Nakagawa, M., & Saito, M. (1991). Isolation of Corynebacterium kutscheri from aged Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Laboratory Animal Science, 41(3), 265-268.
• 2. Amao, H., Akimoto, T., Komukai, Y., Sawada, T., Saito, M., & Takahashi, K. W. (2002). Detection of Corynebacterium kutscheri from the oral cavity of rats. Experimental Animals, 51(1), 99-102. https://doi.org/10.1538/expanim.51.99
• 3. Amao, H., Komukai, Y., Akimoto, T., Sugiyama, M., Takahashi, K. W., Sawada, T., & Saito, M. (1995). Natural and subclinical Corynebacterium kutscheri infection in rats. Laboratory Animal Science, 45(1), 11-14.
• 4. Amao, H., Moriguchi, N., Komukai, Y., Kawasumi, H., Takahashi, K., & Sawada, T. (2008). Detection of Corynebacterium kutscheri in the faeces of subclinically infected mice. Laboratory Animals, 42(3), 376-382. https://doi.org/10.1258/la.2007.06008e
• 5. Barthold, S. W. (2012). Corynebacterium kutscheri Infection, Liver, Mouse and Rat. In: T. C. Jones, J. A. Popp & U. Mohr (Eds.). Monographs on Pathology of Laboratory Animals: Digestive System (pp. 209-213). Springer Science & Business Media.
• 6. Brownstein, D. G., Barthold, S. W., Adams, R. L., Terwilliger, G. A., & Aftosmis, J. G. (1985). Experimental Corynebacterium kutscheri infection in rats: bacteriology and serology. Laboratory Animal Science, 35(2), 135-138.
• 7. Caplin, A., Chen, F. S., Beauchamp, M. R., & Puterman, E. (2021). The effects of exercise intensity on the cortisol response to a subsequent acute psychosocial stressor. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 131, 105336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105336
• 8. Claudio, E. R., Endlich, P. W., Santos, R. L., Moysés, M. R., Bissoli, N. S., Gouvêa, S. A., Silva, J. F., Lemos, V. S., & Abreu, G. R. (2013). Effects of chronic swimming training and oestrogen therapy on coronary vascular reactivity and expression of antioxidant enzymes in ovariectomized rats. Plos One, 8(6), e64806. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0064806
• 9. Fox, J. G., Niemi, S. M., Ackerman, J., & Murphy, J. C. (1987). Comparison of methods to diagnose an epizootic of Corynebacterium kutscheri pneumonia in rats. Laboratory Animal Science, 37(1), 72-75.
• 10. Giddens, W. E., Jr, Keahey, K. K., Carter, G. R., & Whitehair, C. K. (1968). Pneumonia in rats due to infection with Corynebacterium kutscheri. Pathologia Veterinaria, 5(3), 227-237. https://doi.org/10.1177/030098586800500304
• 11. Hazıroğlu, R., Şahal, M., Tunca, R., Güvenç, T., Duru, S. Y., & Ataseven, L. (2006). Pleuritis and pneumonia associated with nocardiosis and aspergillosis in a domestic short haired cat. Ankara Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi, 53(2), 149-151.
• 12. Himsworth, C. G., Zabek, E., Tang, P., Parsons, K. L., Koehn, M., Jardine, C. M., & Patrick, D. M. (2014). Bacteria isolated from conspecific bite wounds in Norway and black rats: implications for rat bite-associated infections in people. Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, 14(2), 94-100. https://doi.org/10.1089/vbz.2013.1417
• 13. Hirst, R. G., & Campbell, R. (1977). Mechanisms of resistance to Corynebacterium kutscheri in mice. Infection and Immunity, 17(2), 319-324. https://doi.org/10.1128/iai.17.2.319-324.1977
• 14. Holmes, N. E., & Korman, T. M. (2007). Corynebacterium kutscheri infection of skin and soft tissue following rat bite. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 45(10), 3468-3469. https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.00607-07
• 15. Jeong, E. S., Lee, K. S., Heo, S. H., Seo, J. H., & Choi, Y. K. (2013). Rapid identification of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Corynebacterium kutscheri, and Streptococcus pneumoniae using triplex polymerase chain reaction in rodents. Experimental Animals, 62(1), 35-40. https://doi.org/10.1538/expanim.62.35
• 16. Kruk, J., Kotarska, K., & Aboul-Enein, B. H. (2020). Physical exercise and catecholamines response: benefits and health risk: possible mechanisms. Free Radical Research, 54(2-3), 105-125. https://doi.org/10.1080/10715762.2020.1726343
• 17. Lemaistre, C. & Tompsett, R. (1952). The emergence of pseudotuberculosis in rats given cortisone. The Journal of Experimental Medicine, 95(4), 393-408. https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.95.4.393
• 18. Otto, G. M., Franklin, C. L., & Clifford, C. B. (2015). Biology and diseases of rats. In: J. G. Fox, L. C. Anderson, G. M. Otto, K. R. Pritchett-Corning, & M. T. Whary (Eds.). Laboratory Animal Medicine (pp. 151-207). Academic Press.
• 19. Pierce-Chase, C. H., Fauve, R. M., & Dubos, R. (1964). Corynebacterial pseudotuberculosis in mice. I. Comparative susceptibility of mouse strains to experimental infection with Corynebacterium Kutscheri. The Journal of Experimental Medicine, 120(2), 267-281. https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.120.2.267
• 20. Ruehl-Fehlert, C., Kittel, B., Morawietz, G., Deslex, P., Keenan, C., Mahrt, C. R., Nolte, T., Robinson, M., Stuart, B. P., Deschl, U., RITA Group, & NACAD Group (2003). Revised guides for organ sampling and trimming in rats and mice--part 1. Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology, 55(2-3), 91-106.
• 21. Saltzgaber-Muller, J., & Stone, B. A. (1986). Detection of Corynebacterium kutscheri in animal tissues by DNA-DNA hybridization. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 24(5), 759-763. https://doi.org/10.1128/jcm.24.5.759-763.1986
• 22. Shechmeister, I. L., & Adler, F. L. (1953). Activation of pseudotuberculosis in mice exposed to sublethal total body radiation. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 92(3), 228-239. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/92.3.228
• 23. Tuffery, A. A., & Innes, J. R. M. (1963). Diseases of laboratory mice and rats. In: W. Lane-Petter (Ed.). Animals for research (pp. 47-108). Academic Press
• 24. Tunca, R. & Hazıroğlu, R. (2004). Kobaylarda deneysel Candida albicans enfeksiyonunda patolojik bulgular. Ankara Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi, 51(2), 133-142.
• 25. Tunca, R., Haziroglu, R., Guvenc, T., Kutsal, O., & Ozsoy, S. Y. (2006). Congenital cerebellar hypoplasia associated with BVD-MD virus infection in a naturally infected calf. Veterinarski Arhiv, 76(5), 453-460.
• 26. Won, Y. S., Jeong, E. S., Park, H. J., Lee, C. H., Nam, K. H., Kim, H. C., Park, J. I., & Choi, Y. K. (2007). Upregulation of galectin-3 by Corynebacterium kutscheri infection in the rat lung. Experimental Animals, 56(2), 85-91. https://doi.org/10.1538/expanim.56.85
• 27. Yokoiyama, S., Ando, T., Hayano, K., & Fujiwara, K. (1975). Jikken dobutsu. Experimental Animals, 24(3), 103-110.
• 28. Zucker, T. F., & Zucker, L. M. (1954). Pantothenic acid deficiency and loss of natural resistance to a bacterial infection in the rat. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, 85(3), 517-521.