Experimental studies on hematogenously induced renal damage in the rabbit due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Chronic systemic infections of rabbits were established by intravenous inoculation of 4 times 10-8 P. aeruginosa cells in order to study the sequence of events leading to severe kidney damage. Renal lesions were detected by the fifth- to seventh-day postinfection, as were lesions in the liver and lungs. Progressive azotemia led to death by the 12th-16th day. Lesions in the kidneys, lungs and liver were characterized terminally by intense mononuclear cell infiltrates, hemorrhage, and microabscess formation. Mononuclear cells also appeared to be the predominant responsive cell early in infection. There appeared to be no difference in the susceptibility to infection or severity of renal lesions between rabbits with surgically induced unilateral ureteral obstruction and nonobstructed rabbits.