Failure to induce proliferative ileitis in golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) by simultaneous infection with Campulobaclerjejuni and Escherichia coli

Abstract

Conventionally bred golden hamsters (CH) and selectively decontaminated golden hamsters (DH) of a strain Han: AURA were experimentally infected with Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) strain isolated from a case of proliferative ileitis and one of four Escherichia C011 (E. 6011) strains of either porcine or human origin (serovars 0124 0138 and 0143) Experimental infection was monitored 32 days post infectionem by watching the c1inica1 signs of diarrhoea by cultivation of the infective agents and by detection of specific IgG antibodies (indirect immunofluorescence technique).
All animals infected with C. jejuni alone remained healthy. No combination of C. jejuni and E. coli led to enteritis and diarrhoea. The enteritis induced by mono-infeetion with l? 6011' 0138 1t+ showed histologic signs of an acute process unlike
changes characteristic for proliferative ileitis. Surprisingly, the addition of C. jejuni to this disease provoking E. coli strain prevented the disease.
The results suggest that simultaneous infection withC. jejuni and E. coli is not the cause of pro: literative ileitis in hamsters. These findings support the results Stiils (1991) describing a new intracellular bacterium as a real etiologic agent of the disease.