ACUTE MYCOPLASMA-PULMONIS INFECTION ASSOCIATED WITH COAGULOPATHY IN C3H HEN MICE/

Experimentally induced infection with high doses of Mycoplasma pulmoni s results in acute pneumonia characterized by severe pulmonary hemorrh age, edema, and, often, death in C3H/HeN mice, To determine whether sp ecific disease manifestations were associated with coagulopathy, we me asured serum fibrin, fibrinogen degradation products, and plasma fibri nogen concentrations in C3H/HeN mice infected with high doses of a vir ulent strain of M. pulmonis. We also examined the lungs and other tiss ues from infected mice for the presence of intravascular fibrin clots and other lesions, Increased concentrations of fibrinogen degradation products indicated that coagulopathy occurs in acute M. pulmonis infec tion; however, intravascular fibrin clots were not present, Rather tha n decreasing, as might be expected during a consumptive coagulopathy, fibrinogen concentrations increased. The hyperfibrinogenemia probably is associated with an acute phase response to M. pulmonis infection.