Skip to main content
Log in

Metronidazole-induced susceptibility of adult mice to intestinalClostridium botulinum colonization

  • Published:
Current Microbiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Clostridium botulinum type A spore challenges were given orogastrically to adult mice that had been treated with metronidazole. The organism multiplied in the intestinal tract for up to five days if it was administered 9–48 h after the last dose of metronidazole. The known antibacterial spectrum of metronidazole indicated that obligate anaerobic bacteria are important in the natural resistance of adult mice to colonization byC. botulinum, but treatment with the antimicrobial agent did not reduce the number of these bacteria in the cecum and colon.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature Cited

  1. Arnon, S. S., Damus, K., Chin, J. 1981. Infant botulism: epidemiology and relation to sudden infant death syndrome. Epidemiologic Reviews3:45–66.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Baines, E. J. 1978. Metronidazole: its past, present and future. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy4:97–111.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Berg, R. D. 1981. Promotion of the translocation of enteric bacteria from the gastrointestinal tracts of mice by oral treatment with penicillin, clindamycin or metronidazole. Infection and Immunity33:854–861.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Burr, D. H., Beery, J. T., Sugiyama, H. 1983. Association ofClostridium botulinum with the mucous blanket of the mouse intestine. Abstracts of the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology 1983:40

  5. Burr, D. H., Sugiyama, H., Jarvis, G. 1982. Susceptibility to enteric botulinum colonization of antibiotic-treated adult mice. Infection and Immunity36:103–106.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Edwards, D. I. 1980. Mechanisms of selective toxicity of metronidazole and other nitroimidazole drugs. British Journal of Veneral Disease56:285–290.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Holdeman, L. V., Cato, E. P., Moore, W. E. C. 1977. Anaerobe laboratory manual, 4th edn. Blacksburg, Virginia: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

  8. Krook, A. 1981. Effect of metronidazole and sulfasalazine on the normal human faecal flora. Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology16:587–592.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Lederberg, J., Lederberg, E. M. 1952. Replica plating and indirect selection of bacterial mutants. Journal of Bacteriology63:399–406.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Lewis, R. P., Wideman, P., Sutter, V. L., Finegold S. M. 1977. The effect of metronidazole on human fecal flora, pp. 307–319. In: Finegold, S. M., McFadzean, J. A., Roe, F. J. C. (eds.) Metronidazole. Princeton, NJ: Excerpta Medica.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Moberg, L. J., Sugiyama, H. 1979. Microbial ecological basis of infant botulism as studied with germfree mice. Infection and Immunity25:653–657.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Moberg, L. J., Sugiyama, H. 1980. The rat as an animal model for infant botulism. Infection and Immunity29:819–821.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Savage, D. C. 1977. Microbial ecology of the gastrointestinal tract. Annual Review of Microbiology31:107–133.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Schaedler, R. W., Dubos, R., Costello, R. 1965. The development of the bacterial flora in the gastrointestinal tract of mice. Journal of Experimental Medicine122:59–66.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Sugiyama, H., Mills, D. C. 1978. Intraintestinal toxin in infant mice challenged intragastrically withClostridium botulinum spores. Infection and Immunity21:59–63.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Sutter, V. L., Citron, D. M., Finegold, S. M. 1980. Wadsworth anaerobic bacteriology manual, 3rd edn. St. Louis: C. V. Mosby.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Vera, H. D., Power, D. A. 1980. Culture media, pp. 965–999. In: Lennette, E. H., Balows, A., Hausler, Jr., W. J., Truant, J. P. (eds.), Manual of clinical microbiology, 3rd edn. Washington, DC: American Society for Microbiology.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Wells, C. L., Sugiyama, H., Bland, S. E. 1982. Resistance of mice with limited intestinal flora to enteric colonization byClostridium botulinum. Journal of Infectious Diseases146:791–796.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Wilcke, Jr., B. W., Midura, T. F., Arnon, S. S. 1980. Quantitative evidence of intestinal colonization byClostridium botulinum in four cases of infant botulism. Journal of Infectious Diseases141:419–423.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Burr, D.H., Sugiyama, H. Metronidazole-induced susceptibility of adult mice to intestinalClostridium botulinum colonization. Current Microbiology 9, 275–278 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01567200

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01567200

Keywords

Navigation