The Journal of Medical Microbiology, Vol 25, Issue 1 7-12, Copyright © 1988 by Society for General Microbiology
Campylobacters and impaired fetal development in mice
A. M. O'Sullivan, C. J. Dore and C. R. Coid
Division of Comparative Medicine, Clinical Research Centre, Harrow.
Intravenous injection of eight human strains of Campylobacter fetus ss
fetus and Campylobacter jejuni into mice at various stages of pregnancy
demonstrated significant strain differences in ability to affect
implantation of the fertilised ovum and to cause resorption of the mouse
fetus. Implantation was significantly impaired when C. fetus ss fetus was
injected intravenously on day 2 of pregnancy, but no effect was observed in
mice receiving C. jejuni. On day 6 of pregnancy, before the development of
placental circulation, both C. fetus ss fetus and C. jejuni impaired fetal
growth; one strain of C. jejuni had a greater effect than others of the
same species. In animals inoculated on day 13 of pregnancy, after the
development of placental circulation, six of the eight campylobacter
strains caused resorption of the mouse embryos. A similar effect on the
embryos was observed after injection of heat-killed organisms, and
endotoxin-like substances may have been responsible. It is also suggested
that factors other than endotoxin-like substances have a deleterious effect
on embryonic growth.
