Experimental scleroma

ABSTRACT

Doubt has been thrown on the relation between Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis and Scleroma because of incomplete fulfillment of Koch's Postulates. In this work [40] rabbits and [20] Guinea pigs were inoculated intranasally by Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis. No deaths resulted. The animals were sacrificed at 2 weeks, 6 weeks and 8 weeks after inoculation. Significant pathological changes were limited to the lungs of the animals inoculated with the Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis organism [80 percent in guinea pigs, and 67.5 percent in rabbits]. These pathological changes became more marked with passage of time. Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis was recovered in pure Culture from the lungs of the affected animals. This fulfilled Koch's postulates and pointed to Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis as the causative organism of Scleroma