Wiedermann B L, Hawkins E P, Johnson G S, Lamberth L B, Mason E O, Kaplan S L
J Infect Dis. 1986 Jan;153(1):27-32. doi: 10.1093/infdis/153.1.27.
The pathogenesis of labyrinthitis associated with bacterial meningitis was studied by histopathologic examination of inner ears of 114 rats with Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis produced by ip inoculation of one of 13 clinical isolates. Findings consisted of inflammation of the perilymphatic spaces of the cochlea and semicircular canals with sparing of the endolymphatic space, cochlear nerve fibers, and middle ear. The degree of inflammation peaked at 48 hr after inoculation, then declined by 96 to 144 hr. No interstrain differences in type or degree of pathology were observed. Immunofluorescent staining of cochleae from 15 animals demonstrated that bacteria were present in areas of inflammation and also in the endolymphatic space and organ of Corti. One isolate displayed a tendency to accumulate in the perilymphatic spaces in larger numbers than those seen with three other isolates. These findings suggest that, in this model, inflammation reaches the inner ear by spreading from the subarachnoid space. Bacterial invasion of the organ of Corti may be one mechanism by which deafness occurs in bacterial meningitis.
通过对114只经腹腔接种13株临床分离株之一而诱发b型流感嗜血杆菌脑膜炎的大鼠内耳进行组织病理学检查，研究了与细菌性脑膜炎相关的迷路炎的发病机制。结果发现，耳蜗和半规管的外淋巴间隙有炎症，而内淋巴间隙、耳蜗神经纤维和中耳未受影响。炎症程度在接种后48小时达到峰值，然后在96至144小时下降。未观察到不同菌株在病理类型或程度上的差异。对15只动物的耳蜗进行免疫荧光染色显示，炎症区域以及内淋巴间隙和柯蒂氏器中均存在细菌。有一种分离株比其他三种分离株更倾向于在外淋巴间隙大量积聚。这些发现表明，在该模型中，炎症是从蛛网膜下腔蔓延至内耳的。细菌侵入柯蒂氏器可能是细菌性脑膜炎致聋的一种机制。
