The host model Galleria mellonella is resistant to taylorellae infection
Résumé
The genusTaylorellais composed of two species: (i)Taylorella equigenitalis,the causative agent of CEM, a venereally transmitted infection of Equidaeand (ii)Taylorella asinigenitalis, a closely related species considered to benonpathogenic, although experimental infection of mares with this bacteriumresulted in clinical signs of vaginitis, cervicitis or endometritis. Currently, thereis a need for an alternative host model to further study the taylorellae species.In this context, we exploredGalleria mellonellalarvae as potential alternativemodel hosts for taylorellae. Our results showed that infection ofG. mellonellalarvae with a high concentration of taylorellae did not induce overtG. mellonellamortality and that taylorellae were not able to proliferate withinG. mellonella. In conclusion,G. mellonellalarvae are resistant to taylorellaeinfection and therefore do not constitute a relevant alternative system forstudying the virulence of taylorellae species.