Intestinal fluid accumulation induced by oral challenge with Vibrio cholerae or cholera toxin in infant mice

The diarrheal response of orally inoculated infant mice to viable Vibrio cholerae and purified cholera toxin was quantitated by means of a fluid accumulation (FA) ratio. The FA ratio is defined as the gut weight/remaining body weight. FA ratios were determined in relation to time of exposure and dose. Onset of fluid accumulation with viable cells of strains CA401 and 569B occurred 8 h postinoculation and reached a near maximum of 16 h. A dose of 4 x 10(6) colony-forming units of strain CA401 was required for a positive response 16 to 18 h postinoculation. Several other classical cholera strains demonstrated a similar dose-related response. Strain 569B, however, required a 100-fold higher dose to give a positive response. Several mutant cholera strains were decreased virulence in other model systems elicited FA ratios decreased from wild-type values. Onset of fluid accumulation which cholera toxin occurred 6 to 8 h postinoculation and reached a maximum by 10 h. A dose of 0.5 microng was required for a positive response 10 to 12 h postinoculation. The positive response to toxin could be inhibited by preincubation with specific antitoxin.