Optical Imaging of Bacterial Infection Models

Abstract

Over the last thirteen years, the field of optical imaging has expanded from in vitro fluorescence microscopy of cells to in vivo imaging of living animals. Recent advances in optical imaging of bacterial infection have been propelled by the invention of genetic methods that produce fluorescent and bioluminescent bacteria, and also the discovery of synthetic fluorescent probes that selectively target bacterial cell surfaces. Optical imaging is an effective method of conducting longitudinal studies of bacterial infection in small animals such as nude mice. It can be used to address questions in medical microbiology concerning migration and colonization and it is an attractive method for determining the efficacy of antibiotic therapies.

Figure 1

S. aureus thigh infections as detected using fluorescence (left), bioluminescence (middle) and radioimaging (right). Images reprinted with permission from the Journal of the American Chemical Society (left), American Society for Microbiology (center), and Journal of Nuclear Medicine (right).

Figure 2

Infections of the bladder (left), lungs (middle) and brain/spine (right) by bioluminescent bacteria. Images reprinted with permission from the American Society of Microbiolgy.

Figure 3

Response of bioluminescent P. aeruginosa infection in a murine open wound model to treatment with conjugate photosensitizer followed by laser irradiation. Images reprinted with permission from Elsevier.

Figure 4

Cancer imaging using bioluminescent (left) or NIR fluorescent (right) bacteria. Images reprinted with permission from BC Decker Publishing.