Serotype-related differences in inflammatory response to Streptococcus pneumoniae in experimental meningitis

Dan Engelhard*, Shlomo Pomeranz, Ruth Gallily, Nurith Strauss, Elaine Tuomanen

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

44 Scopus citations

Abstract

It has been suggested that serotype influences severity of experimental pneumococcal meningitis. This hypothesis was tested with strains of serotypes 1, 5, 6B, 7F, 14, and 23F, prevalent in Israel, in an experimental rabbit model. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) bacterial titers, leukocyte densities, concentrations of lactate, protein, and glucose, tumor necrosis factor-α levels, brain water content, and cerebral blood flow were measured 18 h after inoculation of pneumococci. Serotypes 5 and 7F exhibited mild inflammatory responses (leukocytosis <1000/mm3, lactate <4 mmol/L); types 6B, 14, and 23F showed severe inflammatory responses (leukocytosis >5000/mm3, lactate >10 mmol/L); serotype 1 had intermediate inflammatory responses but exceptionally high CSF bacterial titers. Leukocyte count correlated with all other variables; lactate with all except brain water content. On the basis of 6 Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes, three discrete levels of inflammatory responses could be delineated in experimental pneumococcal meningitis.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)979-982
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of Infectious Diseases
Volume175
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1997

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