The pathogenetic factors of
P. aeruginosa were studied in 196 strains of
P. aeruginosa isolated from the patients with respiratory infection.
In vitro and
in vivo studies were performed to determine whether IgG protease was an important pathogen in elastase producing strain of
P. aeruginosa.
The results obtained were as follows;
1. The relationship among the producing ability of many extracelluler enzymes, exotoxin A and haemolysin, clinical stage including serotypes and pathogenesis of respiratory infection was studied, however a definite relationship was not observed.
2. The survival rate in experimental murine pneumonia was studied in both 5 elastase producing strains and 5 non- producing ones. The survival rate of elastase producing strains was higher than that of the non-producing strains. However no statistical difference was observed between the two groups.
3. Four factors, such as elastase, protease, exotoxin A and haemolysin were evaluated to be pathogenic and the summation of the 4 factors and an intimate connection with the pathogenesis as lethal in experimental murine pneumonia and each factor played an important role as the pathogen of the pneumonia from the onset to terminal phase of the disease.
4. The pathogenesis of elastase as IgG protease was studied
in vitro and
in vivo. The elastase digest the mouse and human IgG and the activity of IgG protease was inhibited by α
2-macroglobulin with dose response.
5. The low positivity of antibody coated bacteria in the sputum of refractory chronic respiratory tract infection by
P. aeruginosa could be due to the elastase producing ability of
P. aeruginosa, but that was not proved experimentally.
The host defense mechanism against Pseudomonase infection seems to be carried out mainly by humoral immunity like the antibody and complement with neutrophil and macrophage. The elastase of P. aeruginosa could play an important role as IgG protease in clinical cases.
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