[Animal modeling] - Establishment of tree shrew model of Fusarium solani keratitis

  Objective: To establish a tree shrew model of Fusarium solanacearum keratitis by infecting the cornea of tree shrews with clinically isolated Fusarium solanacearum.

  Methods: Fusarium solani was inoculated into Sabouraud's medium and cultured in 26 ℃ incubator for 7 days. The fungal suspension was collected. The number of spores was adjusted to 1 by blood cell counting plate × 1010CFU/mL。 Forty clean tree shrews were randomly divided into experimental group (n=30) and control group (n=10). The experimental group used insulin needle (29 G) to inject 50% of fungal spore suspension μ L was injected into the center of the corneal base, and 50% normal saline was injected into the control group μ L。 The model was evaluated by anterior photography, confocal microscopy, histopathological changes, and infected corneal tissue culture.

  Results: The extent of fungal infiltration, the degree of edema of corneal epithelial cells and endothelial cells, and the number of mycelia were positively correlated with time; The number of inflammatory cells infiltrated reached the peak on the 7th day after modeling, mainly neutrophils; The mycelia grew parallel to the matrix fibers at each time point of the experiment; After infection, the growth of Fusarium solani was observed in corneal tissue culture; The successful rate of modeling was 86%.

  Conclusion: The tree shrew model of Fusarium solanacearum keratitis was successfully established by matrix injection of Fusarium solanacearum spores.