A Porcine Wound Model of <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> Infection

Abstract

Objective: To better understand Acinetobacter baumannii pathogenesis and to advance drug discovery against this pathogen, we developed a porcine, full-thickness, excisional, monospecies infection wound model. Approach: The research was facilitated with AB5075, a previously characterized, extensively drug-resistant A . baumannii isolate. The model requires cyclophosphamide-induced neutropenia to establish a skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) that persists beyond 7 days. Multiple, 12-mm-diameter full-thickness wounds were created in the skin overlying the cervical and thoracic dorsum. Wound beds were inoculated with 5.0 × 10 4 colony-forming units (CFU) and covered with dressing. Results: A . baumannii was observed in the wound bed and on the dressing in what appeared to be biofilm. When bacterial burdens were measured, proliferation to at least 10 6 CFU/g (log 10 6) wound tissue was observed. Infection was further characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and peptide nucleic acid fluorescence in situ hybridization (PNA-FISH) staining. To validate as a treatment model, polymyxin B was applied topically to a subset of infected wounds every 2 days. Then, the treated and untreated wounds were compared using multiple quantitative and qualitative techniques to include gross pathology, CFU burden, histopathology, PNA-FISH, and SEM. Innovation: This is the first study to use A . baumannii in a porcine model as the sole infectious agent. Conclusion: The porcine model allows for an additional preclinical assessment of antibacterial candidates that show promise against A . baumannii in rodent models, further evaluating safety and efficacy, and serve as a large animal in preclinical assessment for the treatment of SSTI.