Hemophilus influenzae adherence to and absorption from the nasal mucosa of guinea pigs.

The adherence to and the absorption from nasal mucosal epithelium of type b and non-typeable strains of Hemophilus influenzae were studied in guinea pigs. H. influenzae bacteria were administered to the nose as 4 x 10(7) organisms in 1.0 ml saline. The outer membrane vesicles (OMV) of H. influenzae were used in the absorption study. Scanning electron microscopic studies showed that H. influenzae cells attached to both ciliated and non-ciliated cells of the nasal mucosa. Histological studies showed that OMV were absorbed through the nasal mucosa, mainly from ciliated cells. Further, penetration of OMV through the nasal mucosa of immunized animals was reduced when compared with that of non-immunized ones.