Anti-Pseudomonas aeruginosa activity of an intravenous human IgG preparation in burned mice.

Abstract

A commercially available human IgG chemically modified for intravenous infusion (IGIV) was tested in burned mice for activity against eight strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. An 8.7 to 9.6% full-thickness burn was made with a gas flame on the shaved backs of anesthetized mice. A suspension of P. aeruginosa in 0.5 ml saline was then injected subcutaneously in the burn site. Inocula included seven American Type Culture Collection reference strains representing the seven Fisher-Devlin-Gnabasik immunotypes plus an additional strain of immunotype 1. IGIV immunotherapy did not significantly reduce mortality in burned mice challenged with immunotypes 5 and 6 but was highly protective against immunotypes 1-4 and 7. Groups of mice challenged with these five types and treated with approximately 100 or 400 mg IGIV/kg body weight had cumulative mortality rates at 15 days ranging from 0 to 30%, versus an overall mean 84.3% mortality in human serum-albumin treated controls. IGIV was protective if given up to 12 hours after challenge. These data indicate that IGIV has significant in vivo activity against P. aeruginosa and suggest that IGIV immunotherapy may be of value in the treatment of major thermal trauma in man.