MECHANISMS OF SEPSIS IN ACUTE-PANCREATITIS IN OPOSSUMS

PURPOSE: To study the incidence and pathways of colonization of the pa ncreas by specific bacteria in a model of necrotizing pancreatitis. ME THODS: Bacteremia and splanchnic organ colonization were studied in th e early course of necrotizing pancreatitis following common biliopancr eatic duct ligation (BPDL) of the opossum. Nonoperated animals served as controls. Intestinal lymph nodes, Liver, spleen, and pancreas were cultured following bacteremia or sacrifice. RESULTS: In opossums with sterile bile, bacteria were recovered from 28.6% of blood cultures aft er BPDL (n = 10) and from 12.0% in controls (n = 10, P <0.05). Animals that underwent BPDL revealed enteric microorganisms in intestinal lym ph nodes (6), liver (3), spleen (4), and pancreas (4). Ten animals car ried Salmonella within their bile (5 controls, 5 BPDL animals). Follow ing BPDL, they developed rapid bacteremia and colonization of organs, pancreatic ductal rupture, and extravasation of bacteria and bile into the interstitium. CONCLUSION: There are two possible mechanisms for t he development of bacterial colonization in opossum pancreatitis: bact erial translocation of enteric organisms from gut lumen to mesenteric lymph nodes and subsequent hematogenous dissemination and transductal infestation from the biliary tract.