Biomedical subjects

B A Dethlefs

Publications and source records attributed to B A Dethlefs.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1985

The complement system and host defense against Pseudomonas endophthalmitis.

The authors examined the role of the complement system in host defense against Pseudomonas aeruginosa endophthalmitis. Guinea pigs received intravitreal injections of P. aeruginosa, and comparisons were made between bacterial counts from the vitreous of control guinea pigs and experimental guinea pigs that underwent systemic decomplementation with cobra venom factor. In group 1 (intravitreal injection of 42 organisms), bacterial counts were significantly higher in the vitreous of decomplemented guinea pigs versus control guinea pigs at days 1, 2, and 3 after intravitreal injection but not at day 7 when complement levels returned to normal. In group 2 (intravitreal injection of 102 organisms), bacterial counts were significantly higher in the vitreous of experimental guinea pigs versus control guinea pigs only at day 1 with no statistically significant differences thereafter. In group 3 (intravitreal injection of 150 bacteria), there were no significant differences in bacterial counts in the vitreous of experimental versus control guinea pigs. Our results in group 1 suggest that partially decomplemented guinea pigs show impaired host defense to P. aeruginosa and that this defense is restored as complement levels return to normal. Intravitreal injection of higher numbers of P. aeruginosa as in a group 3 overwhelms and obscures any beneficial effect of the complement system on host defense.

Animals↗

PubMed1983

Experimental herpesvirus keratitis in the rabbit: topical versus intrastromal infection routes.

Intrastromal and topical routes of infection of rabbit corneas with the HF strain of herpes simplex virus type 1 were compared clinically to determine which route of infection would present the best model of disciform edema and of deep stromal keratitis for our further studies on how the immune response of the infected animals may influence the expression of clinical disease. In addition, virus clearing and persistence of viral antigens as immunologic stimuli were monitored by virologic and electron microscopic immunocytochemical studies. We found topical infection to be preferable to the intrastromal infection route for presenting stromal disease in that it resulted in a higher incidence of epithelial disease with less anterior chamber involvement. The topical infection route model should be valuable in studies of cell-mediated immune response against HSV-infected cells.

Animals↗

PubMed1982

Experimental Klebsiella-induced endophthalmitis in the rabbit.

Klebsiella organisms have been reported in postoperative endophthalmitis. We describe an experimental model of endophthalmitis with anterior segment inflammation over the injection of Klebsiella oxytoca into the rabbit vitreous. Within 24 hours, polymorphonuclear leukocytes were found at the corneal limbus, adjacent to the endothelium, in the iris and ciliary body, throughout the vitreous, and in the optic nerve. Retinal photoreceptor degeneration was widespread within 48 hours. Mononuclear cells appeared in the vitreous within 72 hours. Increased pathologic manifestations concomitant with decreased numbers of recoverable, viable organisms implicate the endotoxins of K oxytoca in the observed pathologic condition. Our model may be useful in further studies on antibiotic therapy in Klebsiella ocular infections and in continuing work on the cross-reaction between Klebsiella and HLA-B27.

Animals↗