Detection of intestinal bacterial translocation in subclinical ischemia-reperfusion using the polymerase chain reaction technique.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the detection of bacterial translocation after subclinical ischemia reperfusion injuries in rats with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique.


METHODS
Six-week-old weaning rats were divided into 3 groups. (1) Experiment rats (n = 20) were gavaged with 10(10) Escherichia coli followed by superior mesentery artery occluded for 10 minutes, then reperfused for 30 minutes. (2) Control rats (n = 20) received bacterial gavage. (3) Group 3 were sham rats (n = 20). After the procedure, 3 mL of blood was obtained from the portal vein. The terminal ileum and mesenteric lymph node (MLN) near the terminal ileum were removed. E. coli DNA was detected in blood and MLN samples by PCR, and histological changes were examined.


RESULTS
E. coli DNA detection in ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) group animals was 6 of 20 (30%) in the MLN and 2 of 20 (10%) in the blood. PCR was negative in all the rats in the control group and in the sham group (P < .05). There were no significant differences in the histological examination of rat intestines.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that subclinical intestinal I/R injury results in bacterial translocation. Also, PCR is a highly sensitive and rapid method to detect the presence of microbial DNA.
Küçükaydin
M
M
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Erciyes University Medical Faculty, Kayseri, Turkey.
Kocaoğlu
C
C
Köksal
F
F
Kontaş
O
O
D000818:Animals; D016470:Bacteremia; D018988:Bacterial Translocation; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000502:physiology; D007422:Intestines / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000382:microbiology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000382:microbiology*
D004269:DNA, Bacterial