A Mouse Nasopharyngeal Colonization Model for Group A Streptococcus.

Abstract

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) often exists as an asymptomatic colonizer of the upper respiratory tract in humans. Unsurprisingly, a high proportion of symptomatic infections caused by GAS include pharyngitis. While not usually life-threatening, these infections cause significant morbidity and economic burden/loss of productivity, and can have downstream life-threatening autoimmune consequences. Modeling asymptomatic colonization in animals is, therefore, a useful tool to dissect host-bacteria interactions and to evaluate efficacy of vaccines aimed at reducing the burden of carriage. Here we describe a mouse model of nasopharyngeal colonization using nasal challenge of susceptible mice and the evaluation of subsequent bacterial burden.