Animal Models of Aspiration Pneumonia

Appropriate animal models of aspiration pneumonia may be required for studying the mechanism of aspiration and aspiration-induced pneumonia. Animal models of AP allow us to investigate distinct types of pneumonia at various disease stages, studies that are not possible in patients. AP animal models should have features of bacterial pneumonia and swallowing abnormality. Our animal model of aspiration, using recombinant E1-deleted Ad vectors, may be advantageous relative to earlier models for assessing the development of aspiration pneumonia in association with disturbed upper airway reflexes, since DNA virus infection of bronchiolar epithelial cells in the lower respiratory tract can be assessed by the localization and intensity of LacZ gene expression The other candidate model of aspiration was applied for the experimental stroke in mice induced by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. Aspiration pneumonia was caused by intranasal application of a small amount of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Acid pneumonitis is a major cause of sterile acute lung injury (ALI), resulting in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or Mendelson’s syndrome. Several types of animal models of acid aspiration are available using a wide range of developed transgenic models. Different types of animal models of both aspiration pneumonia and aspiration pneumonitis have considerably aided our understanding of disease pathogenesis and testing and developing of new treatment strategies.