Abstract
The efficacy of Corynebacterium parvum to stimulate splenic growth and to boost host survival was examined by using adult Sprague-Dawley rats in a highly spleen-sensitive model of fulminant pneumococcemia. Rats were either treated (10 days or 1 hr before or 1 hr after) or not treated with C. parvum; were depleted of complement; underwent partial, total, or sham splenic resection; and then were challenged with either a low (2 × 102) or a high (2 × 1O2) dose of pneumococci. In the absence of C. parvum, survival (percent and duration) was lowest after total splenectomy and was proportional to remnant spleen weight after partial splenectomy. Although C. parvum treatment sharply increased splenic weight, nucleated cell numbers, and survival, the lowered mortality and improved survival time wereindependent of spleen weight.The rapidly acting, extrasplenic, splenomimetic protective effect of C. parvum suggests that this class of immunomodulators may be a useful adjunct in managing sepsisassociated with defective or absent splenic function.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 130-135 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Journal of Infectious Diseases |
Volume | 156 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 1987 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology and Allergy
- Infectious Diseases