Relation between the development of inflammatory response and invasion of
Shigella into the mucosa (epithelial lining) was studied with the ligated intestine of rabbits immunized actively or passively through different routes.
When the intestinal segments of rabbits pretreated with heat-killed Via or Avia organisms or perfused intravenously with antiserum, were challenged with a virulent strain, they responded with hypersensitivity reactions, characterized by an enhanced circulatory disturbance and necrosis of the mucosa especially in epithelial lining. The invasion of
Shigella into the mucosa was not prevented by those immune-treatment.
The hypersensitivity reaction was more remarkable in the large intestinal segments than in the small intestinal ones. This fact seemed relevant to the fact that the large intestine was preferentially affected in natural bacillary dysentery.
On the contrary, neither dilatation nor inflammatory response of the segments in immune-treated animals were observed either in the case of challenge with an avirulent strain, which was lacking in ability to penetrate into the mucosa, or in the challenge with a heat-killed virulent strain.
When injected with antiserum into the intestinal segments at the same time of challenge, the penetration of a virulent strain into the mucosa as well as the dilatation of the segments due to inflammatory response were effectively inhibited.
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