Summary
Leucocidin fromPseudomonas aeruginosa causes cardiovascular failure in rats and mice. The time between i.v. injection and death depends on the dose. After injection of high doses (500 μg/kg) the arterial blood pressure decreases rapidly and cardiac irregularities and AV block occur within about 5 min. In contrast to endotoxin shock no pulmonary hypertension was observed, whereas portal hypertension was seen in our experiments.
Injection of lower doses (<200 μg/kg) caused peripheral vascular damage with lung oedema, vascular disturbances in various tissues, exudation and bleeding. Finally cardiac insufficiency predominated. Dexamethasone delayed the symptoms but did not prevent death in either rats or mice. Heparin was ineffective in this type of shock.
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References
Frimmer, M., Scharmann, W.: Toxicity of a highly purified leucocidin fromPseudomonas aeruginosa in perfused rat livers. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol.288, 123–132 (1975)
Hegner, D., Petter, A., Kroker, R., Anwer, M. S., Scharmann, D., Breuniger, V.: Leucocidin fromPseudomonas aeruginosa and membrane functions. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. (in press)
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Scharmann, W.: Leucocidin vonPseudomonas aeruginosa. Habilitationsschrift, Justus Liebig-Universität Gießen, FB 18 (1975)
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Frimmer, M., Neuhof, H., Scharmann, W. et al. Cardiovascular reactions induced by leucocidin fromPseudomonas aeruginosa . Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 294, 85–89 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00692788
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00692788