Influence of acetylsalicylic acid on a Listeria monocytogenes infection

The influence of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA, CAS 50-78-2) on the Listeria monocytogenes infection in balb/c mice was investigated. One day prior to lethal or sublethal infection, balb/c mice were treated intravenously with therapeutic concentrations of ASA alone or ASA in combination with murine recombinant interferon gamma, a lymphokine produced by T-helper cells. Three days post-infection, parasite burdens of spleen and liver were determined by the colony-forming unit assay. It was shown that the prophylactic application of ASA in a concentration of 5 mg/kg body weight resulted in a more than 10-fold reduction of viable Listeria monocytogenes in spleen and liver of balb/c mice. In addition, the combination of a suboptimal dosage of interferon gamma with ASA resulted in a significantly higher survival rate compared to the untreated controls.