The hamster model of intraperitoneal Burkholderia mallei (glanders)

Thirty-one female Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) were inoculated in traperitoneally with a lethal dose of Burkholderia mallei (Budapest strain) . Hamsters were killed postinoculation on days 0 through 6. Lesions were fi rst noted in the spleens on postinoculation day 1, and in mediastinal and m esenteric lymph nodes, mediastinum, liver, and bone marrow on day 2. Lesion s were present in the lung and submandibular lymph nodes on day 3, and in t he brain on day 5. The characteristic histopathologic change was necrotizin g pyogranulomatous inflammation, often with hemorrhage. Lesions indicative of impaired vascular perfusion, such as ischemia and infarction, were evide nt at the later time points. Pathologic changes generally increased in seve rity and distribution with time, and almost all tissues were ultimately aff ected. Our findings suggest that intraperitoneal bacteria were rapidly tran sported to mediastinal lymph nodes by transdiaphragmatic lymphatics and ult imately seeded other tissues hematogenously. The results of the study indic ate that the Syrian hamster is a useful small animal model for glanders.