A Triple-challenge Mouse Model of Allergic Airway Disease, Primary Influenza Infection, and Secondary Bacterial Infection

Sean Roberts; Clare M Williams; Sreeja Roy; Yoichi Furuya

doi:10.21769/BioProtoc.3583

A Triple-challenge Mouse Model of Allergic Airway Disease, Primary Influenza Infection, and Secondary Bacterial Infection

Bio Protoc. 2020 Apr 20;10(8):e3583. doi: 10.21769/BioProtoc.3583.

Authors

Sean Roberts¹, Clare M Williams¹, Sreeja Roy², Yoichi Furuya¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Immunology and Microbial Disease, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York, USA.
² Molecular Mucosal Vaccine Immunology Group, Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia.

Abstract

Asthma is a global problem that affects millions of individuals. An increased risk of respiratory viral and bacterial infections is one of the complications of asthma. We recently reported that mice with ovalbumin-induced allergic airway disease (AAD) are protected against influenza-Streptococcus pneumoniae co-infection. Here, we describe in detail a protocol on how to induce AAD and influenza-S. pneumoniae co-infection in mice and to evaluate the specific roles of asthma on immunity to viral and bacterial pathogens in the hope of translating findings to benefit asthmatic individuals.

Keywords: Allergic airway disease; Asthma; Co-infection; Influenza; Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Grants and funding

R56 AI146434/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/United States