Experimental Pseudomonas infection in mice: acquired resistance against Pseudomonas septicemia and altered susceptibility in BCG infected mice.

Pseudomonas septicemia in mice caused the early death in the first three days of infection without any localized lesions. Localized lesions such as abscess are observed in the kidney and liver after the third day of infection. The early death increased in the BCG infected mice showing an increased level of macrophage activation. It seemed that such early death is due to endotoxin produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However, the BCG infected mice showing an enhanced antibody formation were more resistant to pseudomonas septicemia. Immune serum protected such death, but immune spleen cells did not. Furthermore immune serum also protected the increased death in BCG infected mice.