Murine models for mycobacterioses.

Murine models have proven very useful in studying the pathobiology and chemotherapy of a number of mycobacterioses. While there are a number of significant variations from the human model, a substantial body of experience aids in extrapolating from the murine model to the human condition. The most extensively studied infection is Mycobacterium tuberculosis. However, there have been significant advances recently using the Beige mouse (an immunodeficient mutant) as an acute infection model for disease due to Mycoba avium complex. Less extensively studied have been Mycobacterium kansasii, Mycobacterium fortuitum, and Mycobacterium chelonei, the other relatively common nontuberculous mycobacterioses involving man.