Caenorhabditis elegans as a simple model host for Vibrio vulnificus infection

Vibrio vulniificus is a human opportunistic pathogen which causes fatal septicemia and necrotic wound infection, resulting in a high mortality (over 50%). Caenorhabditis elegans has been studied as a model experimental host for V vulnificus infection. V vulnificus was shown to kill C. eleagans effectively on different growth media and culture conditions. A marked reduction was observed in the life sans P of worms when they were fed on V. vulnificus rather than on the ordinary laboratory food source, Escherichia coli OP50. The intestines of the C elegans fed on V. vulnificus were grossly distended. In the C elegans infection model, a V vulnificus global virulence regulator CRP mutant and an exotoxin mutant exhibited significantly extended host killing duration. Here, we have shown that the virulence factors essential to mammalian K vulnificus infections also play important roles in the killing of C elegans, and thereby suggest that C elegans is a favorable model for host-parasite interaction. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.