BACKGROUND: Few studies are available addressing the effects of a new infection after septic peritonitis. Thus, the present study was conducted with the objective to better understanding this situation using the role of time in this phenomenon as a parameter. METHODS: Thirty-six adult female Wistar rats were submitted to fecal peritonitis by an intraperitoneal injection of a solution of rat feces. The animals were divided into 4 groups (n = 9 each): Group 1A - control: intraperitoneal injection of an amount of fecal solution known to be lethal (10 ml/kg); Group 1B - reinfection: intraperitoneal injection of an amount of fecal solution known not to be lethal (2 ml/kg) followed by an injection of fecal solution (10 ml/kg) 30 days later; Group 2A - control of late reinfection: intraperitoneal injection of 10 ml/kg feces; Group 2B - late reinfection: intraperitoneal injection of 2ml/kg feces followed by an injection of 10 ml/kg 4 months later. RESULTS: All nine animals in Group 1A died within seven days after injection of the fecal solution. In contrast, in the preinfected Group 1B only 1 animal died (p <0.001) 24 hours after injection of the fecal solution (10 ml/kg). With respect to Group 2, eight of the nine animals in each subgroup died over a period of 7 days. CONCLUSIONS: Milder peritoneal sepsis due to fecal infection raises the organic resistance to a new more intense fecal contamination occurring after a short period of time. However, this defense does not persist over a more prolonged period of time.
Peritonitis; Sepsis; Infection; Feces; Immunity; Rats, Wistar
