Escherichia Coli Bacteremia in the Squirrel Monkey I. EFFECT OF COBRA VENOM FACTOR TREATMENT

Abstract

Squirrel monkeys were significantly depleted of complement by a nontoxic protein constituent of cobra venom, and the influence of cobra factor (CoF) treatment on the course of Escherichia coli bacteremia was studied. Striking neutropenia occurred rapidly in control animals while the rate of occurrence of neutropenia was 20 to 30 times slower in the CoF-treated animals, suggesting that the E. coli-induced neutropenia was at least partially a complement-mediated response. In the CoF-treated monkeys, the initial rate of clearance of the E. coli from the circulation tended to be slower and the resultant levels of bacteremia were higher than in control animals. These observations are consistent with a hypothesis that complement-mediated neutrophilic leucocyte function is an important host defense mechanism in gram-ngeative bacillary bacteremia.

Exaggerated Glomerular Albuminuria after Cobra Venom Factor in Anti-Glomerular Basement Membrane Disease

“…Complement acti vation and the elaboration of chemotactic factors such as C3a is associated with a profound neutropenia, due to margination in lung capillaries. This is followed within 24 h by a rebound release of bone marrow PMN [14,15] that have increased chemotactic properties and are ac tively phagocytic [16,17], CVF has been frequently used to deplete circulating complement and to determine the role of complementmediated injury in nephrotoxic nephritis [9,18]. It has usually been administered twice daily for 3 days prior to the injection of NTG, in which case the complement levels were depleted and remained so for the duration of the heterologous phase of NTN.…”

Endothelial Injury Induced by Bacterial Endotoxin: Effect of Complement Depletion

“…However, we decided against early samples after endotoxin because of the risk of cardiac tamponade and the effects of too frequent sampling in a small experimental animal. The complement level is known to drop within minutes after endotoxin injection in mammals (16,17), followed by normalization or even an increase in the complement levels compared to preinjection values in the ensuing hours ( 1 1 ) . It is therefore not surprising that we observed a moderate increase in complement levels 48 h after endotoxin injection in saline pretreated animals (Fig.…”

The response of liver and spleen to Escherichia coli bacteremia in turkeys

“…Escherichia coll bacteremia has been studied experimentally in rabbits (7, 11, 62), mice (7, 74), guinea pigs (7), rats (63,88) and nonhuman primates (24). When JE.…”