Effect of calcium chloride on experimental infection of mice with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Concomitant administration of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and calcium chloride to mice enhanced the virulence of some strains. The 50% lethal dose of P. aeruginosa 5 decreased by more than three orders of magnitude, regardless of the challenge route (intramuscular, subcutaneous, and intraperitoneal injection), while the 50% lethal dose of strain N10 did not decrease. When challenged intramuscularly with 10(4) organisms of strain 5 or strain N10 mixed with calcium chloride, both strains multiplied at the local site of injection. Strain 5 subsequently caused systemic infection, while strain N10 did not. The virulence-enhancing effect of calcium chloride can be successfully applied in protection assays for immunized mice challenged with strain 5.
D000818:Animals; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D002122:Calcium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D051379:Mice; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000276:immunology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014774:Virulence
D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D002122:Calcium Chloride