Insect models of disease

What is it about?

Replacing animal models for the study of infectious disease is highly desirable. One promising new alternative model system are the larvae of the greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella), which have an innate immune system that is very similar to the one in humans. Here, we have evaluated, whether the Galleria model can distinguish between different strains of the bacterium Burkholderia, which have vastly different disease potential in humans. The answer is, yes!

Featured Image

Why is it important?

The use of alternative model systems instead of animals to study infectious diseases is more cost effective and, more importantly, more ethical. Here, we demonstrate that larvae of the greater wax moth, as well as routine cell culture models, accurately predict the disease potential of Burkholderia isolates, with the human pathogen Burkholderia pseudomallei being highly virulent in both models.