The protective effect of beta glucan against Escherichia coli infected mice via intraperitonial administration

Mice infected with Escherichia coli were protected against lethal peritonitis by the intra peritoneal administration 0.2 ml of 10 mg of poly-1,3,1,6-glucotriosyl-1,3,1,3-glucopyranose (PGG) glucan per gram body weight of animal 24 h prior to bacterial infection. This procedure employed in this study, is similar to that employ in a previous studies where rat model were protected with β-glucan against intra-abdominal sepsis, where the intramuscular doses of 10 ml to 10 g per animal 24 h and 4 h prior to surgical implantation of the bacterial inoculums reduced the early mortality associated with the peritonitis phase of this experimental disease process.  In this study mice were protected with β-glucan against peritonist 24 h prior to intraperitoneal administration of bacteria inoculums. Quantitative cultures of the liver obtained from mice infected with E.coli showed significantly the liver of PGG glucan-treated infected animal has a reduced microbial load as compare to those infected and were not treated. The transient increase in survival rate of mice infected withE.coli that have been treated with PGG glucan- as compare with that of those not treated shows the significant effect of β glucan on E.coli infection.   Key words: Beta-glucan, Escherichia coli, poly-131-6-glucotriosyl-j31-3-glucopyranose (PGG) glucan, peritonitis, inoculums, intra-peritoneal, intramuscular. .