Table 1 Selected reports on observations of C. jejuni entering gut epithelial cells, underlying tissues or even other organs during infection in vivoa
Host | Host sample and infection characteristics | C. jejuni strains and characteristics | Applied methods | Disease symptoms/ macroscopic observations | Disease-associated molecular processes | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Human | Colonic biopsies (taken from 22 naturally infected patients), 3–30 days after onset of symptoms | Natural Cj strains | SEM, IHC, IFM | Acute infectious colitis with bloody diarrhea and Cj-positive stools; variation of IgA, IgM and IgG levels | Massive infiltration of immune cells; marked distortion of crypt architecture; invasion of Cj into colonic epithelial cells, Goblet cells and lamina propria | [22] |
Hamster | Golden Syrian hamsters (age NP), 12 females, infection period: 12 days | Cj strain 4–82 (from human diarrheal stool) | TEM | Infection of ileum and cecum; diarrhea; intestinal and cecal abnormalities; 1 hamster died | Microvilli and cytoplasmic lesions; penetration of Cj into lamina propria, some intra-cellular; swollen ER; enlarged mitochondria | [24] |
Piglets | Newborn piglets (2–4 weeks old), 10 animals, infection periods: 3–6 days | Cj strain M129 (campylobacteriosis patient) | TEM, LM, IHC | Bloody diarrhea; subacute, diffuse, mild to moderate, erosive colitis and typhlitis | Gross lesions of large intestine (not small intestine); cell damage with disrupted microvilli, Cj detected within cells and in lamina propria | [25] |
Rabbits | New Zealand White rabbits (7–9 weeks old), 8 animals, infection period: 18 h | Cj strains L115, C119, O81 and P71(from inflammatory diarrhea) | IHC, LFA, GM1-ELISA | Gut tissue oedema, cell damage and submucosal bleedings | Massive infiltration of immune cells; high concentrations of enterotoxin, recovery of live Cj from blood | [26] |
Monkeys | Macaca mulatta (3.5 month old); 2 infant monkeys, infection period: 17 days | Cj strain 78–37 (from human bloody diarrhea) | TEM | Colon damage and diarrhea | Intracellular and extracellular Cj in mucosa and basal lamina; exfoliated epithelial cells; some with apoptotic signs or dilated ER | [23] |
Ferrets | Mustela putoris furo (5.5-6 weeks old ferrets); 15 females, infection period: 1, 2, 3, 6 and 9 days | Cj strain CG8421 (from human diarrheal stool); 81–176 (sequenced human isolate) | CFU-D, IHC, TEM | Acute infectious colitis with bloody diarrhea; Cj positive stools; variation of IgA-ASC, IgA, IgM and IgG levels | Massive colonization of small and large intestine; infiltration of immune cells; Cj within or between enterocytes; recovery of live Cj from liver | [27] |
Mouse | BALB/c, C57BL/6 and DBA/2 mice (10 week old, both sexes); infection course: 24 days | Human Cj strains (from diarrheal stool) | CFU-D, IHC | None | Cj spreading and tissue invasion, recovery of live Cj from liver and spleen | [28] |
Mouse | Myd88−/− knockout mice (6–8 weeks old); infection period: 2, 4, 7, 9 and 14 days | 81–176 | CFU-D, ELISA, IB | Persistent Cj colonization of the intestine (but not in Myd88+/+ positive mice) | Impaired Erk activation and TNF-alpha/IL-6 cytokine production, recovery of live Cj from spleen, liver and mesenteric lymph nodes | [29] |
Chicken | DeKalb X-L Leghorn chicks (1 day old), 170 animals, infection period: 14 days | A.J. and E.L. (human isolates); Ch-1 (chicken isolate) | CFU-D, SEM, IHC | Bloody diarrhea in 5 out of 16 1-day old chicks (start on day 2–5, recovered after 14 days); no symtoms in 3-day old chicks | Cj throughout the intestine; highest CFU in caecum and large intestine; both the upper and lower GI tract with inflammatory cells; Cj detected within cells and in lamina propria | [31] |
Chicken | White Leghorn chicks (day of hatch); 41 animals, infection period: 14 days | RM1221 | CFU-D, SA, CVM | None | Jejunal atrophy but no neutrophil infiltration or inflammation in the intestine; recovery of live Cj from liver and spleen | [30] |