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The acute‐phase response impairs host defence against Enterococcus faecium peritonitis
Author(s) -
Leendertse Masja,
Willems Rob J. L.,
Giebelen Ida A. J.,
Van Den Pangaart Petra S.,
Bonten Marc J. M.,
Van Der Poll Tom
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.297
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1365-2567
pISSN - 0019-2805
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2567.2008.02967.x
Subject(s) - enterococcus faecium , acute phase protein , medicine , peritonitis , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , antibiotics , biology , inflammation
Summary Enterococcus faecium is an emerging pathogen that causes infections in hospitalized patients with various co‐morbid diseases. These underlying diseases are often associated with an acute‐phase response that renders patients vulnerable to nosocomial infections. To study the influence of the acute‐phase response induced by sterile tissue injury on host defence against E. faecium , mice were injected subcutaneously with either turpentine or casein 1 day before intraperitoneal infection with E. faecium . Control mice were subcutaneously injected with saline or sodium bicarbonate, respectively. Turpentine and casein induced an acute‐phase response as reflected by increases in the plasma concentrations of interleukin‐6, serum amyloid P and C3. A pre‐existent acute‐phase response in mice was associated with a strongly reduced capacity to clear E. faecium , resulting in prolonged bacteraemia for several days. The inflammatory response to E. faecium was impaired in mice with an acute‐phase response, as shown by reduced capacity to mount a neutrophilic leucocytosis in peripheral blood and by decreased local cytokine concentrations. These data indicate that the acute‐phase response impairs host defence against E. faecium , suggesting that this condition may contribute to the increased vulnerability of critically ill patients to enterococcal infections.