Antibiotic therapy, endotoxin concentration in cerebrospinal fluid, and brain edema in experimental Escherichia coli meningitis in rabbits.

Abstract

We investigated the effect of cefotaxime and chloramphenicol on endotoxin concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and on the development of brain edema in rabbits with Escherichia coli meningitis. Both antibiotics were similarly effective in reducing bacterial titers. Cefotaxime, but not chloramphenicol, induced a marked increase of endotoxin in CSF, from log10 1.5 +/- 0.8 to log10 2.8 +/- 0.7 ng/ml (P less than .01). This result was associated with an increase in brain water content (405 +/- 12 g of water/100 g of dry weight compared with 389 +/- 8 g in untreated controls; P less than .01), whereas in animals treated with chloramphenicol, brain water content was identical to controls. The cefotaxime-induced increase in endotoxin concentration and brain edema were both neutralized by polymyxin B, which binds to the lipid A moiety of endotoxin, or by a monoclonal antibody to lipid A. These results indicate that treating gram-negative bacillary meningitis with selected antibiotics induces increased endotoxin concentrations in CSF that are associated with brain edema.

• Authors: M G Täuber, A M Shibl, C J Hackbarth, J W Larrick, M A Sande
• Journal: The Journal of infectious diseases (J Infect Dis) Vol. 156 Issue 3 Pg. 456-62 (Sep 1987) ISSN: 0022-1899 [Print] United States
• PMID: 3302052 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Endotoxins
• Lipid A
• Chloramphenicol
• Polymyxin B
• Cefotaxime

Topics

• Animals
• Anti-Bacterial Agents (therapeutic use)
• Antibodies, Monoclonal (therapeutic use)
• Brain Edema (etiology)
• Cefotaxime (therapeutic use)
• Chloramphenicol (therapeutic use)
• Endotoxins (cerebrospinal fluid)
• Escherichia coli
• Escherichia coli Infections (cerebrospinal fluid, complications, drug therapy)
• Lipid A (immunology)
• Meningitis (cerebrospinal fluid, complications, drug therapy)
• Polymyxin B (therapeutic use)
• Rabbits