Interaction of blood-borne Escherichia coli with phagocytes of spleen and liver in turkeys.
The response of splenic and hepatic macrophages to blood-borne virulent and avirulent Escherichia coli was studied in 3-week-old turkeys. Bacterial titers in blood, spleen, and liver were determined for 20 minutes after IV injection of E coli. Spleen and liver were examined by light and electron microscopy. Blood titers of avirulent E coli were reduced to 1/3,000 of their original level in 20 minutes, whereas titers of virulent E coli were only slightly reduced. The E coli localized in macrophages of hepatic sinusoids and splenic reticular sheaths (ellipsoids). In liver, phagocytosis was more efficient for avirulent E coli than for virulent E coli. In splenic macrophages, phagosomal membranes were separated from ingested avirulent E coli by a prominent space, whereas phagosomal membranes surrounding virulent E coli were wavy and closely apposed to the bacterial surface. The appearance of phagosomes may reflect the capacity of splenic macrophages to kill intracellular E coli. Cultural and histopathologic results indicated that virulent E coli resisted trapping and killing by macrophages of spleen and liver.
D000818:Animals; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010587:Phagocytosis; D011200:Poultry; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014422:Turkeys