Massive Organ Inflammation in Experimental and in Clinical Meningococcal Septic Shock

The aims of the present study were to investigate the inflammatory responses in various organs as compared with the systemic circulation in an experimental porcine model of meningococcal sepsis using wild-type N. meningitidis; to study the role of LPS versus non-LPS microbial molecules as triggers of organ inflammation in meningococcal sepsis Healthy Norwegian landrace pigs (n = 19) (30 ± 2.5 kg) were investigated. The biological samples used in the present study were from a larger project to define the pathogenic role of LPS versus non-LPS molecules in N. meningitidis sepsis. 4 organs were investigated in duplicates at three differen doses of Meningococci: Liver, lungs, spleen and kidney.