Objective: To investigate the role of staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) in the development of postburn staphylococcus aureus sepsis.
Methods: Rats inflicted with 20% TBSA III degree scald followed by Staphylococcus aureus sepsis were used as the experimental subjects. The distribution of SEB in the vital organs such as the heart, liver, lungs, kidneys and plasma was observed with concomitant serial measurement of the relative organ functional indices.
Results: The plasma SEB content increased transiently in the early stage of sepsis (P < 0.01) and then fell to near that of control group. The SEB contents in the heart, liver, lungs and kidneys increased evidently 2 hours after staphylococcus aureus challenging (P < 0.01) and continued to increase afterwards. The functions of multiple organs were impaired obviously at 24 postburn hours, and the function impairment was aggravated by S. aureus challenge. The degree of organ injury of liver and kidneys correlated positively with tissue content of SEB (P < 0.05 similar 0.01).
Conclusions: Staphylococcal enterotoxin B might play a role in the development of MODS induced by postburn sepsis.