REINFUSION OF UV-IRRADIATED BLOOD IN THE TREATMENT OF STAPHYLOCOCCAL INFECTION

Reinfusion of ultraviolet (UV)-irradiated blood with maximum absorptio n of 254 nm revealed the therapeutic effect on the course of staphyloc occal infection. As the mechanism of the therapeutic effect is not yet clear and the wave-length region about 254 nm is dangerous for DNA (t he regions of maximal absorption is 260 nm and 290 nm for some protein s respectively), we decided to study the possible therapeutic effect o f UV-irradiated blood method in model staphylococcal infection using a wave-length of maximum of 365 nm. Our results in rabbits showed the f avourable effect of reinfusion of UV-irradiated blood also in this wav e-length maximum. All control rabbits inoculated with the virulent str ain of S. aureus H 476 (2 x 10(5) per 1 kg of body weight) died within 40 hours after infection. On the other hand, rabbits inoculated with the same dose of S. aureus but treated with UV-irradiated blood did no t die within 28 days of observation and no serious pathological change s were found in sections.