Experimental oral chronic infection induced by actinomyces israelii and propionibacterium acnes

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to evaluate an experimental animal model of oral chronic infection induced by Actinomyces israelii and propionibacterium acnes in mice. Swiss/NIH mice (n=100), 21 days of age, male and female were divided into two groups of 45 animals. A. israelii (n=45) and P. acnes (n=45) were inoculated in the anterior mandibular paraperiosteal periodontal tissue associated with sodium alginate gel particles. The animals were evaluated clinically and microscopically at 1,3,7,15,21,30 and 45 days after inoculation. Actinomycotic and propioni lesions were induced in all animals. In control mice (n=10), no lesions were noted; however, differences in the clinical and histopathological evoluations of actinomycosis and propioni lesions were observed and are discussed in this study. Microorganisms entrapped in alginate gel provided a prolonged bacterial irritation, and chronic histopathologic features similar to those seen in human actinomycosis could be detected.