Lack of Effect of Dexamethasone on Growth of Orientia Tsutsugamushi Gilliam in Mouse L929 Cells.
10.3349/ymj.2011.52.4.624
- Author:
Chang Oh KIM
1
;
Ae Jung HUH
;
Joon Sup YEOM
;
Kkot Sil LEE
;
Bum Sik CHIN
;
Sang Hoon HAN
;
Su Jin JEONG
;
Jun Yong CHOI
;
Young Goo SONG
;
June Myung KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine and AIDS Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. jmkim@yuhs.ac
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Orientia tsutsugamushi;
L929 cells;
corticosteroids;
interferon
- MeSH:
Animals;
Cell Line;
Cell Proliferation/drug effects;
Dexamethasone/*pharmacology;
Flow Cytometry;
Interferon-gamma/pharmacology;
Mice;
Orientia tsutsugamushi/*drug effects/growth & development;
Scrub Typhus/drug therapy/microbiology
- From:Yonsei Medical Journal
2011;52(4):624-629
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: Previous studies and our own clinical experience suggest that concurrent corticosteroid treatment for severe rickettsial disease with multiorgan failure may improve the clinical course or reduce mortality. However, the use of corticosteroids as adjunctive treatment for rickettsial diseases is controversial. We attempted to determine the influences of corticosteroid on the growth of Orientia tsutsugamushi in vitro to justify and evaluate the clinical applicability of corticosteroid in rickettsial disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: L929 cells were infected with Orientia tsutsugamushi Gilliam. Dexamethasone was added to the cells at final concentrations of 10(1) and 10(7) pg/mL. Cultures were incubated at 35degrees C and processed for flow cytometry on the 6th day after addition of dexamethasone. RESULTS: Observation on the 6th day after treatment with dexamethasone in infected cultures revealed that there was no difference in fluorescence intensity among the treatment wells. Treatment of the cells with dexamethasone at concentrations of 10(1) and 10(7) pg/mL showed no influence on the growth of Orientia tsutsugamushi. CONCLUSION: Our results to show that isolated corticosteroid does not enhance the replication of Orientia tsutsugamushi in vitro. Concurrent use of anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive doses of corticosteroids in conjunction with antibiotics may not have detrimental effects on the course of scrub typhus.
