INFLAMMATORY AND PHAGOCYTIC RESPONSE TO EXPERIMENTAL CAMPYLOBACTER-JEJUNI INFECTION IN MICE

After intraperitoneal inoculation with Campylobacter jejuni BALB/c, Sw iss and DBA mice show a peritoneal inflammatory response of different intensity. Only BALB/c mice have a strong peritoneal response. Simulta neous intraperitoneal inoculation of C. jejuni plus FeCl3 increase bot h inflammatory response and phagocytic activity in Swiss mice, without production of diarrhea. Some thermostable compounds of C. jejuni have a very strong chemotactic activity against peritoneal cells of mice, whereas a diffusible, thermolabile and glutaraldehyde-resistant factor has an inhibitory effect over murine peritoneal cell phagocytosis. Ba ctericidal activity of peritoneal cells increased after in vitro re-ch allenge with C.jejuni. Bacteremia is present in all the mice strains t ested, but the clearance is quick in DBA and slow in BALB/c and Swiss mice. These experiments confirm that in mice, peritoneal non-specific mechanisms of defense, such as macrophages, play an important role in order to control C. jejuni infection.