Comparison of virulence of some strains of microorganisms on the larva model of a large wax moth and a mouse model. Is replacement possible?

Abstract

To date, conducting experiments involving animals is difficult due to the high cost, the complexity of reproducibility, as well as the ethical standards of modern society. The 3R concept developed in the last century encourages the development of alternative test systems. Among other alternative test systems, the wax moth larva occupies a special place. The use of larvae of the great wax moth (Galleria melonella) as a test system for determining the virulent properties of microorganisms is a promising direction and makes it possible to reduce the cost of research. However, not in all experiments, researchers could register the same semilethal doses for selected strains when comparing the Galleria melonella test system and mammals. Previously, a study was conducted, where, among other things, the semilethal doses of some strains were determined using the Galleria melonella test system. The aim of this study was to compare the semilethal doses of selected strains when administered to G. mellonella and mice. For the experiment, the animals were injected intraperitoneally with suspensions of reference strains of Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 (VKPM B - 8076), Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, Streptococcus pneumoniae ATCC 6303 and clinical isolates of Escherichia coli ENV 194, Staphylococcus aureus SA 0077 (MRSA), Streptococcus pneumoniae 1068 19 A After infection, the animals were observed daily throughout the experiment. During daily clinical observation, visually noted (if any) clinical signs indicating the development of an infectious process, and also recorded body weight. After determining the LD50, the results were compared with the data obtained in the experiment with the larvae of the great wax moth. As a result of comparing the semi-lethal doses of the selected strains, it can be concluded that there is no clear correlation between the data obtained in the two experiments.