Abstract
Four nonabsorbable antibiotics (streptomycin, neomycin, bacitracin, and amphotericin B) and a germicidal dip solution (Zephiran chloride/water) were used to eliminate all the detectable bacteria from conventional AKR mice. Control mice were not decontaminated and were used as such. When antibiotic-decontaminated and control mice developed clinical manifestations of spontaneous lymphatic leukemia, each was treated for the disease with an antitumor drug (cyclophosphamide [CP]) at weekly intervals. With the decontamination procedure, mice of each of the two groups became bacteria-free after 16 weeks of continuous oral administration of the antibiotics and two separate germicidal dippings. All decontaminated mice remained free of bacteria throughout the experiment. The bacterial flora of the control mice remained unaltered. With CP therapy, the mean survival time of the female decontaminated mice was 65 days, whereas that of male mice was 218 days. The average survival time of the CP-treated control leukemic mice was 51 days. Untreated decontaminated or control mice usually died of leukemia within 7 days after the onset of symptoms of leukemia. Although CP therapy was not curative, it did prolong the life expectancy of the decontaminated mice significantly.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.