title: Protective effect of beta-glucan against systemic Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in mice.
abstract: The antimicrobial effect of soluble beta-1,3-D-glucan from Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (SSG) was examined in mice experimentally infected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes 4 and 6B. SSG was administered i.p. either 3 days before challenge or 3-48 h after challenge. The number of bacteria in blood samples and the mouse survival rates were recorded. Pre-challenge SSG administration protected dose-dependently against both S. pneumoniae type 4 and 6B infections. SSG injected 24 h post-challenge had a curative effect against type 6B but not type 4 pneumococcal infection. The data demonstrate that SSG administered systemically protects against pneumococcal infection in mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Medicine, National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway. geir.hetland@folkehelsa.no
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hetland
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Aaberge
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lovik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005260:Female; D005936:Glucans / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D015996:Survival Rate; D047071:beta-Glucans
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D005936:Glucans; D047071:beta-Glucans; C033363:beta-1,3-glucan