Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Epidemiology and Infection logoLink to Epidemiology and Infection
. 1989 Oct;103(2):323–332. doi: 10.1017/s0950268800030685

Investigation of the immune status of mice during and following selective decontamination of the digestive tract.

A B Speekenbrink 1, S R Alcock 1, D M Parrott 1
PMCID: PMC2249519  PMID: 2806417

Abstract

Selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) employs oral antibiotics to eliminate aerobic Gram-negative bacilli while retaining the anaerobic flora. A combination of SDD and parenteral cefotaxime has recently been reported to strikingly reduce the incidence of infection in patients treated in an intensive therapy unit. The present study describes the effects of SDD and of cefotaxime on the immune response of mice to protein antigens. The in vivo cellular response to ovalbumin and sheep red blood cells was unchanged. However, SDD appeared to decrease the in vitro mitogenic response of spleen cells to phytohaemagglutinin, and cefotaxime similarly affected the response to Concanavalin A. The antibody response to sheep red blood cells was increased in the period after discontinuation of SDD. The antibody response was otherwise not affected. These results indicate that SDD is unlikely to have adverse effects on the immune response to protein antigens.

Full text

PDF
323

Selected References

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

  1. Goris H., de Boer F., van der Waaij D. Kinetics of endotoxin release by gram-negative bacteria in the intestinal tract of mice during oral administration of bacitracin and during in vitro growth. Scand J Infect Dis. 1988;20(2):213–219. doi: 10.3109/00365548809032440. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Goris H., de Boer F., van der Waaij D. Oral administration of antibiotics and intestinal flora associated endotoxin in mice. Scand J Infect Dis. 1986;18(1):55–63. doi: 10.3109/00365548609032307. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Guiot H. F., van den Broek P. J., van der Meer J. W., van Furth R. Selective antimicrobial modulation of the intestinal flora of patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. J Infect Dis. 1983 Apr;147(4):615–623. doi: 10.1093/infdis/147.4.615. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Heimdahl A., Gahrton G., Groth C. G., Lundgren G., Lönnquist B., Ringden O., Nord C. E. Selective decontamination of alimentary tract microbial flora in patients treated with bone marrow transplantation. A microbiological study. Scand J Infect Dis. 1984;16(1):51–60. doi: 10.3109/00365548409068409. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Koopman J. P., Kennis H. M. Influence of normal mouse intestinal bacteria on caecal weight in mice. Z Versuchstierkd. 1980;22(4):224–229. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Ledingham I. M., Alcock S. R., Eastaway A. T., McDonald J. C., McKay I. C., Ramsay G. Triple regimen of selective decontamination of the digestive tract, systemic cefotaxime, and microbiological surveillance for prevention of acquired infection in intensive care. Lancet. 1988 Apr 9;1(8589):785–790. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(88)91656-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Mandel L., Talafantová M., Trebichavský I., Trávnícek J., Koukal M. Selective decontamination, induced colonization resistance and connected immunological changes in piglets. Folia Microbiol (Praha) 1985;30(3):312–318. doi: 10.1007/BF02923525. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Mowat A. M. Depletion of suppressor T cells by 2'-deoxyguanosine abrogates tolerance in mice fed ovalbumin and permits the induction of intestinal delayed-type hypersensitivity. Immunology. 1986 Jun;58(2):179–184. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Rogers M. J., Moore R., Cohen J. The relationship between faecal endotoxin and faecal microflora of the C57BL mouse. J Hyg (Lond) 1985 Oct;95(2):397–402. doi: 10.1017/s0022172400062823. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Speekenbrink A. B., Alcock S. R., Forrester J., Parrott D. M. The effect of selective decontamination of the digestive tract with the addition of systemic cefotaxime on the aerobic faecal flora of mice. Epidemiol Infect. 1987 Jun;98(3):385–395. doi: 10.1017/s0950268800062154. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Stoutenbeek C. P., van Saene H. K., Miranda D. R., Zandstra D. F. The effect of selective decontamination of the digestive tract on colonisation and infection rate in multiple trauma patients. Intensive Care Med. 1984;10(4):185–192. doi: 10.1007/BF00259435. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Titus R. G., Chiller J. M. A simple and effective method to assess murine delayed type hypersensitivity to proteins. J Immunol Methods. 1981;45(1):65–78. doi: 10.1016/0022-1759(81)90094-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Walker R. I., Ledney G. D., Galley C. B. Aseptic endotoxemia in radiation injury and graft-vs-host diesease. Radiat Res. 1975 May;62(2):242–249. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Walker R. I., MacVittie T. J., Sinha B. L., Ewald P. E., Egan J. E., McClung G. L. Antibiotic decontamination of the dog and its consequences. Lab Anim Sci. 1978 Feb;28(1):55–61. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Wedner H. J., Parker C. W. Lymphocyte activation. Prog Allergy. 1976;20:195–300. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. de Vries-Hospers H. G., Sleijfer D. T., Mulder N. H., van der Waaij D., Neiweg H. O., van Saene H. K. Bacteriological aspects of selective decontamination of the digestive tract as a method of infection prevention in granulocytopenic patients. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1981 May;19(5):813–820. doi: 10.1128/aac.19.5.813. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. van der Waaij D., Berghuis-de Vries J. M., Lekkerkerk Lekkerkerk-v Colonization resistance of the digestive tract in conventional and antibiotic-treated mice. J Hyg (Lond) 1971 Sep;69(3):405–411. doi: 10.1017/s0022172400021653. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. van der Waaij D., Berghuis-de Vries J. M., Lekkerkerk-van der Wees Colonization resistance of the digestive tract and the spread of bacteria to the lymphatic organs in mice. J Hyg (Lond) 1972 Jun;70(2):335–342. doi: 10.1017/s0022172400022385. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. van der Waaij D., Berghuis-de Vries J. M. Selective elimination of Enterobacteriaceae species from the digestive tract in mice and monkeys. J Hyg (Lond) 1974 Apr;72(2):205–211. doi: 10.1017/s002217240002341x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Epidemiology and Infection are provided here courtesy of Cambridge University Press

RESOURCES