Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Clinical Pathology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Pathology
. 1987 Dec;40(12):1393–1396. doi: 10.1136/jcp.40.12.1393

Lethal challenge of gnotobiotic weanling rats with bacterial isolates from cases of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

S Lee 1, A J Barson 1, D B Drucker 1, J A Morris 1, D R Telford 1
PMCID: PMC1141271  PMID: 3323245

Abstract

An attempt was made to produce an animal model of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The experimental animals (germ free weanling rats) were exposed to nasopharyngeal isolates from cases of SIDS to test the hypothesis that common bacteria may have an aetiological role in the disease. Negative results were obtained when the strains were tested in isolation, but certain combinations of organisms (specifically some Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli) killed the animals rapidly (less than 18 hours) without prolonged terminal illness. Post mortem histological findings were consistent with those of SIDS. The lethal toxigenic potential of nasopharyngeal bacteria, which are regarded as harmless in adults, should be reconsidered in respect of the aetiology of SIDS.

Full text

PDF
1393

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Carlson E. Effect of strain of Staphylococcus aureus on synergism with Candida albicans resulting in mouse mortality and morbidity. Infect Immun. 1983 Oct;42(1):285–292. doi: 10.1128/iai.42.1.285-292.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Carlson E. Enhancement by Candida albicans of Staphylococcus aureus, Serratia marcescens, and Streptococcus faecalis in the establishment of infection in mice. Infect Immun. 1983 Jan;39(1):193–197. doi: 10.1128/iai.39.1.193-197.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Carlson E. Synergistic effect of Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus on mouse mortality. Infect Immun. 1982 Dec;38(3):921–924. doi: 10.1128/iai.38.3.921-924.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Kirn A., Gut J. P., Gendrault J. L. Interaction of viruses with sinusoidal cells. Prog Liver Dis. 1982;7:377–392. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Mackowiak P. A. The normal microbial flora. N Engl J Med. 1982 Jul 8;307(2):83–93. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198207083070203. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. McCarthy P. L., Grundy G. W., Spiesel S. Z., Dolan T. F., Jr Bacteremia in children: an outpatient clinical review. Pediatrics. 1976 Jun;57(6):861–868. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Ramirez-Ronda C. H., Fuxench-López Z., Nevárez M. Increased pharyngeal bacterial colonization during viral illness. Arch Intern Med. 1981 Nov;141(12):1599–1603. doi: 10.1001/archinte.141.12.1599. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Schlievert P. M. Enhancement of host susceptibility to lethal endotoxin shock by staphylococcal pyrogenic exotoxin type C. Infect Immun. 1982 Apr;36(1):123–128. doi: 10.1128/iai.36.1.123-128.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Teele D. W., Pelton S. I., Grant M. J., Herskowitz J., Rosen D. J., Allen C. E., Wimmer R. S., Klein J. O. Bacteremia in febrile children under 2 years of age: results of cultures of blood of 600 consecutive febrile children seen in a "walk-in" clinic. J Pediatr. 1975 Aug;87(2):227–230. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(75)80584-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Valdes-Dapena M. A. Sudden and unexpected death in infancy: a review of the world literature 1954-1966. Pediatrics. 1967 Jan;39(1):123–138. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Williams A. L., Uren E. C., Bretherton L. Respiratory viruses and sudden infant death. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1984 May 19;288(6429):1491–1493. doi: 10.1136/bmj.288.6429.1491. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Pathology are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES