J Vet Sci.  2014 Dec;15(4):583-586. 10.4142/jvs.2014.15.4.583.

Detection of Corynebacterium bovis infection in athymic nude mice from a research animal facility in Korea

• Kim TH
• Kim DS
• Han JH
• Chang SN
• Kim KS
• Seok SH
• Kim DJ
• Park JH
• Park JH

• KMID: 2070248
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2014.15.4.583

Abstract

Corynebacterium (C.) bovis infection in nude mice causes hyperkeratosis and weight loss and has been reported worldwide but not in Korea. In 2011, nude mice from an animal facility in Korea were found to have white flakes on their dorsal skin. Histopathological testing revealed that the mice had hyperkeratosis and Gram-positive bacteria were found in the skin. We identified isolated bacteria from the skin lesions as C. bovis using PCR and 16S rRNA sequencing. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of C. bovis infection in nude mice from Korea.

Keyword

athymic nude mice; Corynebacterium bovis; hyperkeratosis

MeSH Terms

Animals
Corynebacterium/*isolation & purification
Corynebacterium Infections/*microbiology/pathology
*Mice
Mice, Nude
Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics
Republic of Korea
Rodent Diseases/*microbiology/pathology
Skin Diseases, Bacterial/*microbiology/pathology
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Gross lesions. (A) Test mouse 1, (B) Test mouse 2, and (C) Test mouse 3.

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  Fig. 2 Histopathological examination of skin samples from the experimental mice. H&E staining of skin tissue from Control mouse 2 (A), Gram-staining of skin tissue from Control mouce 2 (B), and toluidine blue staining of skin tissue from Control mouse 2 (C) revealed the presence of non-specific lesions and an absence of Gram staining. H&E staining of skin tissue from Test mouse 3 (D), Gram-staining of skin tissue from Test mouse 3 (E), and toluidine blue staining of skin tissue of Test mouse 3 (F) showed Gram-positive bacteria in the epidermis and severe mast cell infiltration into the dermis. Scale bars = 100 µm (A, C, D, F) or 50 µm (B, E).

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  Fig. 3 Results of the polymerase chain reaction analysis. Lane 1, size marker; Lane 2, Control mouse 1; Lane 3, Control mouse 2; Lane 4, Test mouse 1; Lane 5, Test mouse 2; Lane 6, Test mouse 3; Lane 7, Lacobacillus rhamnosus; Lane 8, C. bovis.

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