An Experimental Adult Zebrafish Model for Pathogenesis, Transmission, and Vaccine Efficacy Studies.

Shigellosis has been a menace to society for ages. The absence of an effective vaccine against , improper sanitation, and unhygienic use of food and water allow the disease to flourish. can also be transmitted via natural water bodies. In the absence of a good animal model, the actual nature of pathogenesis and transmission remains unclear. Zebrafish larvae have previously been described as a model for pathogenesis. However, larval fish lack a mature intestinal microbiota and immune system. Here, the adult zebrafish was assessed as a potential model for pathogenesis. Their well-developed innate and adaptive immune responses mimic the mammalian immune system. showed a clear dose-, time-, and temperature-dependent colonization of the adult zebrafish gut. Efficacy of a three-dose immunization regime was tested using bath immunization with heat-killed trivalent immunogen. The present study demonstrates the efficacy of an adult zebrafish model for pathogenesis, transmission, and vaccine efficacy studies. Shigellosis is a diarrheal disease that is prevalent in developing countries and especially dangerous in young children. Currently, animal models for shigellosis are unable to model some aspects of the infectious cycle. Here, we describe a new shigellosis model in adult zebrafish, an increasingly common model organism for studying bacterial pathogens. The zebrafish model can be used to study colonization, transmission, and immune responses, as well as test vaccine efficacy.