Abstract
Intravenous and intraperitoneal injections of slime from Acinetobacter calcoaceticus TMS266 induced leukopenia and death in mice. The leukopenia was characterized by a decrease in neutrophil count, followed by death of mice. This decrease of leukocytes was profound and supposed to contribute to the enhancement of virulence of other bacteria such as Escherichia coli. In mice treated with sublethal doses of the slime, the slime could not show its capacity to reduce circulating leukocytes.
