Intestinal distribution of Vibrio cholerae in orally infected infant mice: kinetics of recovery of radiolabel and viable cells

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Abstract
Kinetics of distribution of V. cholerae in the gastrointestinal tract of orally challenged infant mice were examined by determining recovery of input dose from the whole gut and from individual segments of stomach, upper bowel and lower bowel. The strains studied were 569B, CA401 and VB12 (a rough CA401). Recovery was determined as a percentage of input radiolabel using 35S-labeled cells or input colony-forming units. Clearance of radiolabel and viable cells from the stomach into the intestines was found by 2 h. Early whole-gut clearance of label was greater for 569B and heat-killed CA401 than for CA401, VB12 or Formalinized CA401. At early times postchallenge, significant differences occurred between strains in the upper bowel, with greater recovery of label and viable cells for CA401 than for 569B or VB12. Beginning at 8 h postchallenge, radiolabel accumulated in the lower bowel with all experimental groups except CA401-challenged mice, where diarrhea was noted and label disappeared from the intestines. In vitro evaluation of mucosal association of these strains with bowel sections was also done. CA401 and VB12 associated to a greater extent than 569B or heat-killed or Formalin-killed CA401.