Estudo das infecções agudas de fígado e baço por Streptococcus agalactiae em modelo murino de diabetes induzida

Abstract

Streptococcus agalactiae, or group B Streptococcus (GBS), is a Gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic, encapsulated, beta-hemolytic, catalase and oxidase negative, hippurate and CAMP positive. S. agalactiae belongs to the amphibian microbiota of the intestinal, gastrointestinal and urogenital tracts of healthy individuals and can be classified into ten different capsular types (Ia, Ib, II-XV). The microorganism is the etiological agent of bovine mastitis and the main cause of invasive infections in neonates, pregnant women and the elderly (10-30%). Furthermore, in non-pregnant adults, especially in adults with underlying diseases, S. agalactiae is responsible for a high rate of mortality and morbidity. Diabetes mellitus is the most common disease associated with S. agalactiae infections; However, little is known about the relationship between diabetes and the pathogenesis of this pathogen. Therefore, this study analyzed S. agalactiae infection in a murine model of streptozotocin-induced diabetes to analyze bacterial dissemination in organs related to the immune response, the liver and spleen. The results obtained demonstrated for the first time the involvement of the liver and spleen after infection by S. agalactiae, mainly in diabetic animals, showing greater impairment of the functions caused by both organs during the activation of the immune response. Therefore, more in-depth analyses of the affected mechanisms are useful for a better understanding of the pathogenesis of S. agalactiae in diabetic patients. In addition, the intraperitoneal inoculation model shown is suitable for analyzing the infection process in a model of induced diabetes, and can be expanded to other microorganisms, potentially assisting in new therapeutic and prophylactic strategies.