Citrobacter rodentium infection model for the analysis of bacterial pathogenesis and mucosal immunology

Abstract

Citrobacter rodentium is a mouse restricted pathogen that was originally isolated from laboratory mouse colonies and causes transmissible colonic hyperplasia, characterized by thickening of the colon and inflammation. As a natural pathogen of mice, the infection model has proven critical to the development of our understanding of the pathogenesis of enteric disease and the mucosal immune response. In addition to this, some features of disease such as dysbiosis, inflammation, and wound healing replicate features of human inflammatory bowel diseases. As such, the C. rodentium infection model has become a key tool in investigations of many aspects of mucosal immunology.