Effect of time post mortem on the concentration of endotoxin in rat organs: implications for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

Self Cite

The aim of the study was to test the hypotheses (i) that sudden infant death syndrome sera are toxic to 11‐day old chick embryos and (ii) that such a toxicity can be counteracted by immunoglobulin or adult sera. Serum samples from 11 SIDS victims and five controls were tested for lethal toxicity in the chick embryo bioassay. Five serum samples were used to challenge chick embryos injected with the following: sudden infant death syndrome serum plus Hank's balanced salt solution; Hank's balanced salt solution alone; sudden infant death syndrome serum plus 3% w/v commercial immunoglobulin; sudden infant death syndrome serum plus 6% w/v immunoglobulin; sudden infant death syndrome serum plus pooled sera of 40 healthy adults. Results obtained revealed that Hank's balanced salt solution, the pooled adult serum and the commercial immunoglobulin were all non‐lethal, in the chick embryo test system. By contrast, 10 sudden infant death syndrome victims yielded sera containing lethal levels of toxin(s) compared to 2/5 controls which was statistically significant (P<0.05, Fischer's exact test). In the tests of sudden infant death syndrome serum plus immunoglobulin or pooled adult serum, the lethality of sudden infant death syndrome serum was abolished in all cases. The reduction in toxicity of individual sudden infant death syndrome serum plus immunoglobulin or pooled adult serum was often statistically significant (P<0.05–P<0.00005, Fischer's exact test). We conclude that lethal levels of toxin are present in sudden infant death syndrome sera and that they can be neutralised by normal immune serum. These results indicate that passive immunisation is a potential treatment to protect babies considered at risk from sudden infant death syndrome.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preliminary investigation of lethally toxic sera of sudden infant death syndrome victims and neutralisation by commercially available immunoglobulins and adult sera

Sayers

Drucker

Hutchinson

et al. 1999

Self Cite

“…The measurement of endotoxin in blood or tissues remains fraught with problems, even during life [13], and there is considerable controversy as to the effect of post‐mortem storage on endotoxin levels; however, in a carefully designed animal model we were able to show that endotoxin levels in blood and a range of organs were higher in rats injected with endotoxin immediately before death compared to control animals and that these results were stable for up to 102 h after death [14]. These results prompted us to study endotoxin levels in blood and tissue samples taken at autopsy from SIDS infants and controls.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Endotoxin in blood and tissue in the sudden infant death syndrome

Crawley

Morris

Drucker

et al. 1999

Although the explanation for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) remains unknown, an increasing body of evidence now exists to suggest a possible role for bacterial toxins in the aetiology, and a number of investigators have considered that endotoxaemia could explain some of the associated features. Following the development of an animal model which confirmed that endotoxaemia could be detected after death, we studied endotoxin levels in blood and tissue samples taken at autopsy from SIDS infants, child controls and adult controls. There were significant correlations between endotoxin levels in blood and the various organs sampled particularly in SIDS cases and child controls, and blood endotoxin levels in SIDS cases were higher in those infants where there was histological evidence of mild to moderate inflammation. However, overall no significant differences were found between endotoxin levels in blood or tissue in the three study groups. Further studies into possible actions or interactions of endotoxin in SIDS are required. ß

“…New evidence indicates that Staphylococcus aureus and its pyrogenic toxins were identified in over half of SIDS cases [6] and Escherichia coli isolated from extra‐intestinal sites [22]. The criticisms that detection of endotoxin and Gram‐negative bacteria in SIDS cases are overgrowth from the gut are addressed in this issue [22,26].…”

Section: Which Micro‐organisms Are Implicated In Sids?mentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of infection in sudden infant death syndrome

Blackwell

Weir

1999

Studies on the potential role of infectious agents in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) have been published over the years in a variety of journals. The aim of this special issue of FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology is to bring together a group of the most recent studies from Europe, Australia and Canada which cover epidemiology and laboratory studies examining hypotheses relating to infection and inflammation in SIDS. The articles in this issue examine evidence for the involvement of specific micro-organisms in SIDS and the problems relating to experimental studies on infection in relation to the underlying pathology of these deaths. There is an update on the evidence for the common bacterial hypothesis proposed in 1987 examining risk factors identified in epidemiological studies, particularly how the prone sleeping position could affect bacterial colonisation or induction of toxins. Evidence for induction of inflammatory responses in SIDS infants is reviewed and the relation of these responses to mechanisms proposed as causes of death assessed. Factors found to be associated with reduction of the risk of SIDS (breast feeding and immunisation) are examined in relation to some of the toxigenic bacteria implicated in these deaths. Finally, the high incidence of SIDS in some ethnic groups is examined as a potential model to investigate the contributions of genetic, environmental and cultural differences to susceptibility of infants not only to SIDS but to serious respiratory tract infections.