Abstract
While studying the localization of Streptococcus viridans at sites of local antigen-antibody reactions in rabbits sensitized to horse serum, it was observed that there was a difference in the rate of disappearance of these organisms from the blood stream when injected intravenously into normal animals and animals sensitized to horse serum. Bull 1 observed the fate of bacteria injected into normal dogs and rabbits. Bail 2 made similar observations, and Hopkins and Parker 3 and Wright 4 studied the fate of bacteria in normal and immunized animals. More recently Boone, Chase and Brink 5 made some similar observations working with intestinal absorption of B. prodigiosus in dogs during acute anaphylactic shock. There has not been found so far in the literature any work concerning the rate of disappearance of Streptococcus viridans from the bloodstream of hypersensitive rabbits.
A strain of Streptococcus viridans was isolated from an apical abscess of a tooth at necropsy. The hourly growth rate in broth was established. A determination of the quantity (pour plates) of organisms injected was made at the time of inoculation. The volume of the suspension in saline was kept constant at 1 cc. Inoculations were made into the marginal ear vein of the rabbits. Blood cultures, both pour plates and broth, were taken from the femoral vein at intervals of 15 minutes for the first hour, then half hourly for 3 hours, then hourly for 8 hours, and finally every 24 hours until the animal died or until the cultures remained negative.
Three groups of animals were used. Group A, normal animals, received injections of organisms only. Group B, normal animals, received horse serum and organisms, simultaneously. The sensitized animals (Group C) received both horse serum and organisms.
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