Diabetes, Vol 38, Issue 5 659-662, Copyright © 1989 by American Diabetes Association

ARTICLES

In vivo pH of induced soft-tissue abscesses in diabetic and nondiabetic mice

AN Bessman, J Page and LJ Thomas
Department of Medicine, University of Southern California, Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center, Downey 90242.

Infections in the diabetic host have been shown to persist longer than those in the nondiabetic host. To investigate whether intra-abscess milieu might be a contributing factor to this persistence, the in vivo intra-abscess pH was measured in induced soft-tissue abscesses in diabetic and nondiabetic mice. Two models (female genetically obese insulin-resistant and male streptozocin-induced diabetic mice) were used with appropriate controls. The bacteria injected to produce the soft-tissue abscesses were Bacteroides fragilis and Enterococcus (B + E), Staphylococcus epidermidis and Enterococcus (S + E), and S. aureus (SA). Intra-abscess pH measured on day 3 was consistently and significantly lower in all diabetic mice compared with their controls. In the diabetic mice, the pH of an abscess induced with B + E, S + E, and SA was 6.28 (n = 17), 6.79 (n = 10), and 6.52 (n = 10), respectively; the pH in the controls was 7.21 (n = 20), 7.30 (n = 10), and 7.17 (n = 10), respectively. Differences in all groups between diabetic and nondiabetic mice were significant. The blood glucose values of the diabetic mice averaged 722 mg/dl, and in the nondiabetic mice were 210 mg/dl. No animals were ketotic. There were no significant differences in total colony counts between any groups. In conclusion, there is a significantly lower pH in the abscess of the diabetic host compared with the nondiabetic host that is not related to the numbers or types of causative bacteria.
CiteULike    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. J. Kinnari, J. Esteban, N. Z. Martin-de-Hijas, O. Sanchez-Munoz, S. Sanchez-Salcedo, M. Colilla, M. Vallet-Regi, and E. Gomez-Barrena Influence of surface porosity and pH on bacterial adherence to hydroxyapatite and biphasic calcium phosphate bioceramics J. Med. Microbiol., January 1, 2009; 58(1): 132 - 137. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Weinrick, P. M. Dunman, F. McAleese, E. Murphy, S. J. Projan, Y. Fang, and R. P. Novick Effect of Mild Acid on Gene Expression in Staphylococcus aureus J. Bacteriol., December 15, 2004; 186(24): 8407 - 8423. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]