Abstract
Staphylococcus epidermidis infection of plastic catheters is often associated with heavy deposits of slime. To test whether this slime affects the human cellular immune response, its effect on the lymphoproliferative response of mononuclear cells to polyclonal stimulators was measured. Slime drastically reduces this response. Its inhibitory action was not immediate but took place over a few days and resulted in destruction of affected cells. The effect is dose related. This inhibition of cellular response may contribute to S epidermidis infection of implanted prostheses.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 365-367 |
| Number of pages | 3 |
| Journal | The Lancet |
| Volume | 323 |
| Issue number | 8373 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Feb 18 1984 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:melatonin assay. F. W. was supported by the Postdoctoral Research Exchange Program of the Max Kade Foundation Inc, New York.
Funding Information:
The research was supported by US Public Health Service research grant HL-30058. We are grateful to the late Dr L. W. Wannamaker and Dr G.