title: A modified ex vivo human whole blood model of infection for studying the pathogenesis of Neisseria meningitidis during septicemia.
abstract: For the purpose of establishing a model to study host-bacteria interaction and virulence mechanisms of Neisseria meningitidis during the septic phase of disease a modified human whole blood model of infection is proposed. Compared to published whole blood models the current model was modified with respect to the initial number of viable bacteria (10(4) cfu ml(-1)), the anticoagulant used and the incubation time. The results obtained after incubation of a number of human blood samples from healthy volunteers for 24 h with serogroup B meningococci were in good agreement with findings reported from patients who suffered severe meningococcal disease.
authors.affiliation: Hygiene Institut, Abteilung Hygiene and Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Universität Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany. oliver_nolte@med.uni-heidelberg.de
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nolte
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rickert
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ehrhard
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ledig
authors.forename: Hans Günter
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Sonntag
mesh_terms: D016470:Bacteremia / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines