Oral infection of mice with Salmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium causes meningitis and infection of the brain

BackgroundSalmonella meningitis is a rare and serious infection of the central nervous system following acute Salmonella enterica sepsis. For this pathogen, no appropriate model has been reported in which to examine infection kinetics and natural dissemination to the brain.MethodsFive mouse lines including C57BL/6, Balb/c, 129S6-Slc11a1tm1Mcg, 129S1/SvImJ, B6.129-Inpp5dtm1Rkhwere used in the murine typhoid model to examine the dissemination of systemic Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium following oral infection.ResultsWe report data on spontaneous meningitis and brain infection following oral infection of mice with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium.ConclusionThis model may provide a system in which dissemination of bacteria through the central nervous system and the influence of host and bacterial genetics can be queried.