Epizootic of enterocolitis and clostridial overgrowth in NSG and NSG-related mouse strains

Abstract

While the immunodeficient status of NOD.Cg- Prkdc scid Il2rg tm1Wjl/SzJ (NSG) and NSG-related mice provides utility for numerous research models, it also results in increased susceptibility to opportunistic pathogens. Over a 9-week period, a high rate of mortality was reported in a housing room of NSG and NSG-related mice. Diagnostics were performed to determine the underlying etiopathogenesis. Mice submitted for evaluation included those found deceased ( n = 2), cage mates of deceased mice with or without diarrhea ( n = 17), and moribund mice ( n = 8). Grossly, mice exhibited small intestinal and cecal dilation with abundant gas and/or digesta ( n = 18), serosal hemorrhage and congestion ( n = 6), or were grossly normal ( n = 3). Histologically, there was erosive to ulcerative enterocolitis ( n = 7) of the distal small and large intestine or widespread individual epithelial cell death with luminal sloughing ( n = 13) and varying degrees of submucosal edema and mucosal hyperplasia. Cecal dysbiosis, a reduction in typical filamentous bacteria coupled with overgrowth of bacterial rods, was identified in 18 of 24 (75%) mice. Clostridium spp. and Paeniclostridium sordellii were identified in 13 of 23 (57%) and 7 of 23 (30%) mice, respectively. Clostridium perfringens (7 of 23, 30%) was isolated most frequently. Toxinotyping of C. perfringens positive mice ( n = 2) identified C. perfringens type A. Luminal immunoreactivity to several clostridial species was identified within lesioned small intestine by immunohistochemistry. Clinicopathologic findings were thus associated with overgrowth of various clostridial species, though direct causality could not be ascribed. A diet shift preceding the mortality event may have contributed to loss of intestinal homeostasis.