Disseminated intravascular coagulation in rabbits: synergistic activity of meningococcal endotoxin and materials egested from leucocytes containing meningococci.

Leucocyte-egested material was harvested after the quantitative in-vitro phagocytosis of Neisseria meningitidis by rabbit or mouse polymorphonuclear leucocytes. The egested material was injected subcutaneously into rabbits and followed 24 h later with an intravenous injection of what would by itself have been a non-lethal quantity of meningococcal endotoxin, or with an equivalent dose of endotoxin in the form of meningococcal cell-wall blebs. Of 32 rabbits treated in this manner, 12 developed disseminated intravascular coagulation and six of these 12 had renal cortical necrosis. The remainder exhibited less severe lesions resembling those of endotoxaemia. Rabbits were not sensitised to meningococcal endotoxin when materials egested from leucocytes containing Staphylococcus epidermidis were used. A description of the pathological findings in the rabbits is presented.