[Dynamics of ultrastructural changes in guinea pig cardiomyocytes in experimental diphtheria intoxication]

Electron microscopy of the left and right ventricles from guinea pigs was made 24, 72, and 120 hours after they were administered diphtheria toxin, 0.3 DLM/kg. The important pathogenetic mechanism responsible for dysfunction of the "diphtheritic heart" was found to be left and right ventricular cardiomyocytic lesion discordance developing in the mid-process, by causing serious intracardiac hemodynamic disorders. The lysosomal system influencing the ultrastructure of the two ventricles may exist in the heart. In diphtheritic intoxication, cardiomyocytic lysosomes exert mainly a damaging effect on their ultrastructure.