Experimental peritonitis in horses. Hematological and biochemistry aspects

ABSTRACT

Sixteen adult horses were randomly divided into 4 equal groups (GI, GII, GIII and GIV) of 4 animals and each group was injected intraperitoneally with one of the following suspension Group I, 100 x 107 colony-forming units (CFU) of E. coli diluted in 500 ml of 0.9percent saline; Group II, 100 x 107 CFU of Bacteroides fragilis in 500 ml of 0.9 percent saline; Group III, 100 x 107 CFU of E. coli in combination with 100 x 107 CFU of B. fragilis in 500 ml of 0.9 percent saline; Group IV, 500 ml of 0.9 percent saline. Leukopenia appeared in all animals inoculated with bacteria within the first six hours of the experiment. After this period, leukocytosis was observed in some inoculated horses. Horses inoculated with pure cultures of either E. coli or B. fragilis demonstrated mild and self-limiting peritonitis, whereas those inoculated with a combination of both bacteria demonstrated laboratory findings of higher intensity and duration