Development of murine models of disseminated infection by Neoscytalidium dimidiatum

Abstract

We have developed two murine models of disseminated infections by Neoscytalidium dimidiatum, an emerging dematiaceous fungus. Immunosuppressed mice were challenged through the lateral tail vein with 1×10⁵ or 1×10⁶ CFU/ml and immunocompe-tent animals with 1×10⁶ or 1×10⁷ CFU/ml. N. dimidiatum var. dimidiatum was more virulent than the nonpigmented variety, N. dimidiatum var. hyalinum. All mice infected with N. dimidiatum var. dimidiatum died within 8 days while those infected with N. dimidiatum var. hyalinum survived to the end of the experiment. Fungal load in tissue was also higher in animals inoculated with N. dimidiatum var. dimidiatum. In general, of the five organs tested, spleens and kidneys were most affected.

Keywords:

• Neoscytalidium dimidiatum
• virulence
• murine model

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a grant from Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias from the Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo of Spain (PI 050031).

Declaration of interest: No conflict of interest.

This paper was first published online on Early Online on 16 December 2009.