Title
Histologic inflammation in the maternal and fetal compartments in a rabbit model of acute intra-amniotic infection.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-1-2000
Journal/Book/Conference Title
American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
Volume
183
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to determine the course of acute inflammation in the maternal and fetal compartments during experimentally induced ascending intra-amniotic infection.
STUDY DESIGN: Forty pregnant rabbits at 70% gestation were inoculated endocervically with 10(5) colony-forming units of Escherichia coli. Does were killed at 0, 4, 8, 16, 24, and 30 hours after inoculation. At necropsy, blood, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, and uterine tissue were cultured. Fetal brain, lung, heart, gut, and kidney were collected for histologic examination. Necrosis, infiltrates, congestion, and edema were each assessed semiquantitatively, and mean composite histologic-inflammation scores were compared with analysis of variance. Inflammation, mitotic activity, and apoptosis were evaluated in the fetal brain, and groups were compared with analysis of variance.
RESULTS: Twenty-six animals were evaluated after 14 were excluded (lack of fever or positive culture results). A significant increase in histologic inflammation score was seen in the uterus (P
CONCLUSIONS: Histologic inflammation occurs early in both the uterus and the placenta and later in the fetal lung in the rabbit model of acute intra-amniotic infection. This contrasts with the previously reported chronic model of intra-amniotic infection in the rabbit.
Keywords
Acute Disease, Amniotic Fluid, Animals, Escherichia coli Infections, Female, Fetus, Lung, Placenta, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Infectious, Rabbits, Uterus
URL
http://ir.uiowa.edu/obgyn_pubs/65