Transmural Migration of Intestinal Bacteria

Abstract

IN UREMIC patients subjected to peritoneal dialysis with a slightly hypertonic fluid1 peritonitis due to Escherichia coli developed frequently in spite of meticulous sterile technic. The evidence suggested that bacteria entered the peritoneal cavity by transmural migration.1 Preliminary experiments designed to test this assumption showed that Esch. coli can be recovered in small numbers from the peritoneal cavity of normal dogs after continued intraperitoneal injection of sterile irritating agents such as Monolate or gum tragacanth.2 In uremic dogs, prolonged exposure of the peritoneum to dialyzing fluid was followed by the appearance of Esch. coli in pure culture or as the . . .