Pathological effect of synthetic cereulide, an emetic toxin of Bacillus cereus, is reversible in mice

Cereulide is the causative toxin of the emetic type of food-borne illness c aused by Bacillus cereus. This toxin was previously shown to be associated with fulminant liver failure in a human case. Mice were injected i.p. with synthetic cereulide and the development of histopathological changes was ex amined. Hepatocytes showed mitochondrial swelling with loss of cristae, and dose-dependent increase of small fatty droplets. These microsteatotic hepa tocytes were distributed mainly in the pericentral area. At higher cereulid e doses, massive degeneration of hepatocytes occurred. The serum values of hepatic enzymes were highest on days 2-3 after the inoculation of cereulide , and rapidly decreased thereafter. General recovery from the pathological changes and regeneration of hepatocytes was observed after 4 weeks. (C) 199 9 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier S cience B.V. All rights reserved.