Prolonged shock in the monkey following live E. coli organism infusion

Responses of the rhesus monkey to the administration of live Escherichia coli organisms during an observation of 0-27 hours were studied. Nine monkeys were infused for 30 minutes with live E. coli organisms, the dose ranging between 7.6x10 ⁹ and 3.0x10 ¹¹organisms/kg. Three of nine animals survived for 24 hours or longer. Nonsurvivors demonstrated significant hypotension, hypoglycemia, and hypoinsulinemia, while survivors showed lesser degrees of physiologic derangement. Findings were hepatic sinusoidal fibrin thrombi and hepatocellular damage accompanied by elevated serum enzymes. The kidney did not show glomerular fibrin thrombi; however, tubular lesions were clearly evident and increases in blood urea nitrogen levels and endogenous creatinine were documented. Lungs of animals survival longer contained fewer polymorphonuclear leukocytes and platelets than were seen in acute shock studies. This study emphasizes the importance of monitoring the nonhuman primate during an extended time period, since many significant pathophysiologic responses occur after eight hours of observation.