title: Pulmonary response to group B streptococcal toxin in young lambs.
abstract: Marked respiratory distress is seen in severe early onset group B beta-hemolytic streptococcal (GBS) disease in newborn infants. To investigate the pathophysiological effects of a polysaccharide toxin from GBS type III cultures, obtained from an infant who died from this disease, young chronically instrumented, unanesthetized lambs were studied with measurements of lung mechanics, lung volumes, ventilation, hemodynamics, and lung vascular permeability. Intravenously administered GBS toxin resulted in a biphasic response with an early threefold increase in total lung resistance, 40% decrease in dynamic lung compliance, and 30% increase in minute ventilation coinciding with hypoxemia, pulmonary hypertension, and fever. A second phase of the response followed consisting of less prominent changes in these variables as well as increased lung lymph protein clearance compatible with increased vascular permeability. The temporal close relationship between marked leukopenia and increased lung lymph thromboxane B2 concentrations to the simultaneously occurring pulmonary hypertension and changes in lung mechanics suggests that leukocytes and thromboxane A2 may be mediators of these GBS toxin-induced effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sandberg
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Engelhardt
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hellerqvist
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sundell
mesh_terms: D000403:Airway Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D008170:Lung Compliance / Q000187:drug effects; D008176:Lung Volume Measurements; D008196:Lymph / Q000378:metabolism; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects*; D012756:Sheep; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae; D013929:Thromboxane B2 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D011506:Proteins; D013929:Thromboxane B2