SOURCES OF PANCREATIC PATHOGENS IN ACUTE-PANCREATITIS IN CATS

The source(s) of pancreatic pathogens is uncertain, although the colon is usually implicated. We studied whether pathogens may spread from d ifferent sites in a feline model of the disease. Acute pancreatitis wa s induced using a standard technique and a distinctive clinical strain of Escherichia coli as the marker bacterium. E. coli were placed in t he colon, gall bladder, main pancreatic duct, or obstructed renal pelv is of control cats (no pancreatitis) and acute pancreatitis cats. Panc reases were colonized from each source, whether or not pancreatitis wa s present. The pancreatic colonization rate was greater in acute pancr eatitis only when E. coli had been placed in the colon. In conclusion, E. coli may spread to the pancreas from different sources. The high r ate of pancreatic colonization in both control and inflamed glands sug gested that, clinically, bacteria may spread to the pancreas more freq uently than is currently thought.