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A Streptococcus pneumoniae infection model in larvae of the wax moth Galleria mellonella

European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases volume 31, pages 2653–2660 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

The bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading human opportunistic pathogen. The limitations of the current vaccine have led to increased recognition of the need to understand bacterial behaviour and competitive dynamics using in vivo models of infection. Here, we investigate the potential application of the larvae of the wax moth Galleria mellonella as an informative infection model. Larvae were challenged with a range of doses of S. pneumoniae isolates differing in known virulence factors to determine the LD50 values. Infection dynamics were determined by obtaining bacterial counts from larvae over a time course. Differences in virulence between serotypes could be distinguished in this host. Infection with strains differing in known virulence factors demonstrated predicted differences in virulence. Acapsulate and pneumolysin-negative strains were less virulent than their respective wild types. A large reduction in virulence was seen in strains lacking cell wall D-alanylation. The mortality of G. mellonella larvae is attributable to bacterial growth within larvae, while surviving larvae are able to clear infections by reducing bacterial numbers. These data demonstrate that G. mellonella larvae represent an in vivo infection model with applications for investigating aspects of bacterial–host interactions such as the role of antimicrobial peptide activity and resistance.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Tim Mitchell and Andrea Mitchell for kindly providing the study strains and for the discussion, Paul Johnson for advice and assistance with the Galleria, David Springate for the statistical advice and the two anonymous reviewers for their very helpful comments. This work was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), grant number R103963.

Authors’ contributions

B.A.E. participated in designing the study, performed the practical work and statistical analyses, and drafted the manuscript. D.E.R. conceived the study and participated in the study design, and assisted with drafting the manuscript. Both authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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  1. B. A. Evans

    Present address: Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Biosciences Building, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK

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  1. Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK

    B. A. Evans & D. E. Rozen

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Evans, B.A., Rozen, D.E. A Streptococcus pneumoniae infection model in larvae of the wax moth Galleria mellonella . Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 31, 2653–2660 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-012-1609-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-012-1609-7

Keywords

  • Virulence Factor
  • Antimicrobial Peptide
  • Infection Model
  • Teichoic Acid
  • Pneumococcal Strain