Figure 5.
The bacterial load increases in the lungs of mice administered ferrichrome. Bacterial numbers (CFU) after 5 days in the lungs of wild-type mice infected with 4 × 107 CFU E. coli H9049/mouse alone (n = 9) or with 25 mmol desferri-ferrichrome (Des) (n = 10) or iron-loaded ferrichrome (Fer) (n = 13). Three of the mice infected with E. coli H9049 and iron-loaded ferrichrome died and bacterial loads were determined only for the 10 mice surviving to day 5. The number of bacteria in lungs of mice inoculated only with bacteria was significantly lower that in mice also receiving desferri-ferrichrome (p < 0.05) or iron-loaded ferrichrome (p < 0.01). The amount of CFU/lung of mice receiving desferri-ferrichrome + E. coli H9049 was significantly lower than the amount measured in the lungs of the surviving mice that had been administered E. coli H9049 + iron-loaded ferrichrome (p < 0.05). No bacteria were measured in the mice receiving only iron-loaded ferrichrome (n = 6).