Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
J Med Virol. 2009 Dec;81(12):2096-103. doi: 10.1002/jmv.21623.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes opportunistic infections in immunocompromised individuals and patients ventilated mechanically and is the major pathogen in patients with cystic fibrosis, in which it causes chronic infections. Epidemiological, in vitro and animal data suggest a role for respiratory virus infections in facilitating colonization and infection with P. aeruginosa. A study was undertaken to determine whether respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection could facilitate the initiation of an acute infection with P. aeruginosa in vivo. Balb/c mice were infected intranasally with P. aeruginosa, with and without simultaneous inoculation with RSV. Lung function measurements were undertaken using Whole Body Plethysmography and lungs were harvested 24 hr after inoculation. Mice exposed to RSV and P. aeruginosa showed 2,000 times higher colony-forming units (CFU) counts of P. aeruginosa in the lung homogenates when compared to mice which were only infected with P. aeruginosa and lung function changes were more severe in co-infected mice. Control mice receiving RSV alone showed no significant changes in lung function or cytokine production, and no inflammatory changes in the lung parenchyma. These results suggest that RSV can facilitate the initiation of acute P. aeruginosa infection without the RSV infection being clinically apparent. This could have implications for treatment strategies to prevent opportunistic P. aeruginosa lung infection.
铜绿假单胞菌会在免疫功能低下的个体和接受机械通气的患者中引起机会性感染，也是囊性纤维化患者的主要病原体，在这些患者中，它会导致慢性感染。流行病学、体外和动物数据表明，呼吸道病毒感染在促进铜绿假单胞菌定植和感染方面发挥作用。本研究旨在确定呼吸道合胞病毒（RSV）感染是否会促进铜绿假单胞菌在体内急性感染的发生。Balb/c 小鼠经鼻腔感染铜绿假单胞菌，同时或不与 RSV 同时接种。使用全身 plethysmography 进行肺功能测量，并在接种后 24 小时收获肺脏。与仅感染铜绿假单胞菌的小鼠相比，同时感染 RSV 和铜绿假单胞菌的小鼠肺部匀浆中的铜绿假单胞菌菌落形成单位（CFU）计数高 2000 倍，且肺部功能变化在混合感染的小鼠中更为严重。单独接受 RSV 的对照小鼠的肺功能或细胞因子产生没有明显变化，肺实质也没有炎症变化。这些结果表明，RSV 可以在 RSV 感染无临床症状的情况下促进急性铜绿假单胞菌感染的发生。这可能对预防机会性铜绿假单胞菌肺部感染的治疗策略有影响。
