Reduced virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa grown in the presence of benzalkonium chloride.
Resistant cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027 which were grown in the presence of 1 mg of benzalkonium chloride (BC) per ml caused only a mild conjunctivitis when they were dropped onto the scratched corneas of rabbits. In contrast, cells of the BC-sensitive parent strain induced a severe keratoconjunctivitis. In addition, the BC-grown cells also had a reduced capacity to produce kidney infections in mice as compared to the parent strain. BC-grown cells acted as weak complex antigens which conferred slight protection against lethal doses of BC-grown cells. No cross-protection to cells of the parent strain occurred. The data indicate that growth in the presence of BC results in cells with reduced virulence.
D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001548:Benzalkonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000209:etiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D007114:Immunization; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D051379:Mice; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D011817:Rabbits; D014774:Virulence
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001548:Benzalkonium Compounds