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Experimental pulmonary histoplasmosis and emphysema
J R Graybill1, J Ahrens, M Suchyta
1Medical Service, Audie Murphy Memorial Veteran's Hospital, San Antonio, TX 78284.
The American Review of Respiratory Disease
|May 1, 1988
Summary
This study investigated if emphysema worsens chronic pulmonary histoplasmosis. In a mouse model, emphysema did not predispose to severe disease or alter outcomes after Histoplasma capsulatum infection.
Area of Science:
- Medical Mycology
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Immunology
Background:
- Chronic pulmonary histoplasmosis frequently co-occurs with emphysema.
- The direct impact of emphysema on the pathogenesis of necrotizing lesions in chronic pulmonary histoplasmosis remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether emphysema predisposes to the development of necrotizing lesions in pulmonary histoplasmosis.
- To evaluate the interaction between emphysema and acute primary or rechallenge pulmonary histoplasmosis in a murine model.
Main Methods:
- Pulmonary emphysema was induced in Balb/c mice via intratracheal elastase inoculation.
- Mice with emphysema were challenged intranasally with Histoplasma capsulatum (HC) yeast cells.
- Sublethal intranasal challenges with HC antigens or subcutaneous immunization were also performed.
Main Results:
- Emphysema did not significantly alter the course of acute primary or rechallenge pulmonary histoplasmosis in mice.
- Prior sublethal HC exposure protected emphysematous mice against severe rechallenge.
- Intranasal heat-killed HC or subcutaneous histoplasmal antigen immunization showed no protective or deleterious effects.
Conclusions:
- Emphysema does not appear to directly predispose to severe pulmonary histoplasmosis in this murine model.
- Prior exposure to H. capsulatum can confer protection against severe rechallenge, even in the presence of emphysema.