Susceptibility to bacterial sepsis. Accurate measurement by the delayed-type hypersensitivity skin test score
J. I. Tchervenkov, E. Diano, J. L. Meakins and N. V. Christou
To test the hypothesis that any alteration in the delayed-type
hypersensitivity (DTH) skin test response (not necessarily total anergy)
reflects increased susceptibility to bacterial sepsis, male Sprague-Dawley
rats presensitized to keyhole-limpet hemocyanin were subjected to a 30%
full-thickness scald burn. Susceptibility to bacteria was assessed by the
intradermal injection of Staphylococcus aureus 502A. The DTH response
decreased following burn injury from 6.6 to 3.9 mm on days 2 and 8. Skin
abscess size increased from 5.8 to 9.3 mm on day 2 and 8.9 mm on day 8.
There was a significant inverse correlation between DTH skin test score and
abscess size. Histologically there was no difference in the overall
leukocyte accumulation in the abscess or the DTH reaction between the two
groups, yet the overall size of the abscess was greater and the swelling of
the dermis in the DTH response was less in the burned rats.