Changes in the lung parenchyma in the early phases of bacterial toxemia and acute diffuse peritonitis in an experiment

A comparative study of changes in the pulmonary parenchyma of guinea pigs with toxemia caused by intraperitoneal injection of staphylococcal toxin or Pseudomonas aeruginosa endotoxin and in those with peritonitis induced by i. p. injection of a suspension of human or guinea-pig feces has shown the changes to be rather similar in these conditions. In particular, as soon as 10 min after the onset of disease, signs of damage were detected in lung cells and capillary endotheliocytes of the blood-air barrier; later on, microthrombi were detected in pulmonary capillaries. In guinea pigs with feces-induced peritonitis, microfoci of pneumonia were seen. Following the injection of human fecal suspension, early signs of the sludge syndrome were present. The observed changes resembled those described for the adult respiratory distress syndrome (shock lung).