Experimental Pseudomonas Keratitis in Immunosuppressed Hybrid Mice

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of experimental Pseudomonas aeruginosa eye infection in immunosuppressed, normally resistant, hybrid mice. When these mice were treated with cyclophosphamide (270 mg/kg) 4 days prior to intracorneal challenge with various dilutions of the bacteria (10²–10⁸ cells), severe corneal damage was observed ultrastructurally within 24 h. At this time, large numbers of bacteria were observed within the corneal stroma and numerous neutrophils filled the anterior chamber. The lesion did not resolve, but developed into a highly destructive suppurative endophthalmitis that progressed to panophthalmitis followed by atrophy of the infected eye.