Human serum and plasma increase mouse mortality in Staphylococcus aureus intraperitoneal infection.
The influence of human plasma, serum, purified fibrinogen, and fibronectin on Staphylococcus aureus intraperitoneal infection in non-immune mice was studied. Mouse mortality was used as a measure of staphylococcal virulence. Both human plasma and serum were shown to enhance the virulence of S.aureus strain E 2371 and strain E 2476 when added to the bacteria before challenge. This effect of serum was unaffected by storage for 24 h at 37 degrees C or complement-inactivation for 1 h at 56 degrees C. Purified fibrinogen and fibronectin did not influence the S. aureus virulence. It is suggested that the effects of plasma and serum described here might play a role in the establishment of S.aureus infections in humans.
D000818:Animals; D001790:Blood Physiological Phenomena; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000494:pharmacology; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000209:etiology*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology
D005353:Fibronectins; D005340:Fibrinogen