STUDIES ON THE PATHOGENESIS OF STAPHYLOCOCCAL INFECTION

Abstract

Inflammation produced in rabbit skin by thermal, chemical, bacterial and immunological injury resulted in a local increase in susceptibility to staphylococcal infection if the bacteria were injected into the area of inflammation within 2 to 3 days after the injury. When staphylococci were injected into an area of inflammation of over 3 days duration, there was an increase in local resistance to infection. The way in which inflammation was produced seemed to have little influence upon the effects observed. Comparison of the effect of non-specific inflammation with the effect of specific delayed hypersensitivity upon staphylococcal infection "showed them to be very similar if not identical. It is probable that specific bacterial hypersensitivity increases susceptibility to infection with the staphylococcus in the same way as non-specific inflammation.