Salmonella Typhimurium exploits inflammation to its own advantage in piglets
Frontiers in Microbiology publish this investigation article
September 22nd, 2015
Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) is responsible for foodborne zoonotic infections that, in humans, induce self-limiting gastroenteritis. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the wild-type strain S. Typhimurium (STM14028) is able to exploit inflammation fostering an active infection. Due to the similarity between human and porcine diseases induced by S. Typhimurium, we used piglets as a model for salmonellosis and gastrointestinal research. This study showed that STM14028 is able to efficiently colonize in vitro porcine mono-macrophages and intestinal columnar epithelial (IPEC-J2) cells, and that the colonization significantly increases with LPS pre-treatment. This increase was then reversed by inhibiting the LPS stimulation through LPS antagonist, confirming an active role of LPS stimulation in STM14028-intracellular colonization. Moreover, LPS in vivo treatment increased cytokines blood level and body temperature at 4 h post infection, which is consistent with an acute inflammatory stimulus, capable to influence the colonization of STM14028 in different organs and tissues. The present study proves for the first time that in acute enteric salmonellosis, S. Typhimurium exploits inflammation for its benefit in piglets
Chirullo B., Pesciarioli M., Drumo R., Ruggeri J., Razzouli E., Pistoia C., Petrucci P., Martinelli N., Cucco L., Moscati L., Amadori M., Magistrali CF., Alborali GL. and Pasquali P.


![]() | Unit of Prophyilaxis and Control of Bacterial Zoonoses. Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety. Istituto Superiore di Sanità. |
Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science (BCA). Università degli Studi di Padova (UNIPD). | |
Department of Veterinary Diagnostic. Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell Emilia Romagna (IZSLER). | |
S.S. Sezione di Genova. Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte (IZSTO). | |
Research and Development area. Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e delle Marche (IZSUM). | |
![]() | Servicio de Zoonosis de Transmisión Alimentaria y Resistencia a Antimicrobianos (ZTA). Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET). Universidad Complutense (UCM). |