Development of an experimental model of induced bacterial peritonitis in cirrhotic rats with or without ascites.
BACKGROUND
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a severe complication of cirrhotic patients associated with a high mortality.


OBJECTIVE
To develop an available experimental model of induced bacterial peritonitis in cirrhosis.


METHODS
Sprague-Dawley rats with carbon-tetrachloride-induced cirrhosis with (N=22) or without (N=101) ascites were randomized to receive an intraperitoneal administration of different concentrations of Escherichia coli (E. coli) diluted in 1 mL of sterile water in ascitic rats and in different volumes in nonascitic rats. A subgroup of nonascitic animals received ceftriaxone 4 h after E. coli inoculation. Mortality of rats was evaluated 24 h after bacterial inoculation.


RESULTS
None of the rats receiving sterile water alone and only one infected with 10(7) cfu of E. coli died. Ascitic rats showed a lower mortality rate than nonascitic rats infected with 10(8) or 10(9) cfu of E. coli (P<0.05). Mortality was higher with 10(9) cfu than with 10(8) cfu of E. coli in ascitic (P NS) and nonascitic (P<0.01) rats. A trend was noted to ward higher mortality in nonascitic rats inoculated with 10(8) cfu with increasing water volumes. A marked peritoneal polymorphonuclear cell response was observed 4 h after E. coli injection in both ascitic and nonascitic rats. Antibiotic therapy significantly reduced the mortality rate of rats infected with 10(8) cfu (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
This experimental model of induced bacterial peritonitis in cirrhosis with or without ascites may represent a useful tool for the study of pathogenic events postinfection and for the design of new therapeutic strategies to treat patients with SBP.
Sánchez
Elisabet
E
Liver Unit, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Autonomous University, Barcelona, Spain.
Such
José
J
Chiva
Maite Teresa
MT
Soriano
Germán
G
Llovet
Teresa
T
Mercè
Javier
J
Sancho
Francisco
F
Muñoz
Carlos
C
Song
Xiao-yu
XY
Pérez-Mateo
Miguel
M
Balanzó
Joaquín
J
Guarner
Carlos
C
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001201:Ascites / Q000150:complications*; D001424:Bacterial Infections; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000209:etiology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002443:Ceftriaxone; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride