Department of Infectious, Respiratory, and Digestive Medicine, Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0215, Japan.
Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis. 2011 Dec;34(6):455-64. doi: 10.1016/j.cimid.2011.09.001. Epub 2011 Oct 10.
Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is an opportunistic pathogen in AIDS patients and pigs, and causes dissemination through primary intestinal lesions. However, its pathogenesis is not well understood. In this article, we hypothesize that pigs can provide a suitable experimental model of disseminated MAC disease. We compared the initial route of infection, the characteristics of the pathogenic strains, the immunological status of the hosts, and the histological characteristics. The route of infection and infective strains are similar in AIDS patients and pigs. Pigs can respond to infection by the formation of systemic epithelioid granuloma with sufficient cell-mediated immunity. However, there are differences in immunological status and histological features between AIDS patients and pigs. Therefore, pigs might be used as an appropriate animal model because of their good cell mediated immunity triggered by systemic mycobacterial infection. In conclusion, MAC infections in AIDS patients and pigs show similarities in terms of the initial route of infection and the genetic characteristics of the pathogenic strains.
鸟分枝杆菌复合体（MAC）是 AIDS 患者和猪中的机会性病原体，通过原发性肠道损伤引起传播。然而，其发病机制尚不清楚。在本文中，我们假设猪可以提供一个合适的播散性 MAC 病实验模型。我们比较了初始感染途径、病原菌特性、宿主免疫状态和组织学特征。AIDS 患者和猪的感染途径和感染株相似。猪可以通过形成系统上皮样肉芽肿来对感染做出反应，同时具有足够的细胞介导免疫。然而，AIDS 患者和猪的免疫状态和组织学特征存在差异。因此，猪可能被用作合适的动物模型，因为它们可以通过全身性分枝杆菌感染引发良好的细胞介导免疫。总之，AIDS 患者和猪的 MAC 感染在初始感染途径和病原菌遗传特征方面存在相似性。
