Cell-wall-deficient forms of Staphylococcus aureus as lung pathogens: an ultrastructural study.
The interaction between stable protoplast L forms of Staphylococcus aureus and the alveolar wall of infected rats was observed in the course of experimental pulmonary infection (days 3, 7, 14, and 30 p.i.). The L forms were successfully cultivated from bronchoalveolar lavage samples taken throughout the tested interval. The ultrastructural results demonstrated the ability of the L forms to invade the alveolar wall where they established, grew and reproduced mainly in the interstitium. The infection caused lung lesions: granulomas, focal fibroses and destruction of type I alveolar epithelial cells.
Stoitsova
S
S
Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria.
Michailova
L
L
Markova
N
N
Dimova
I
I
Jordanova
M
M
Dilova
K
K
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000473:pathology; D006099:Granuloma / Q000473:pathology; D007740:L Forms; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000382:microbiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000648:ultrastructure