Serum antibody response to Bacteroides fragilis in women with abscesses following hysterectomy
Polk, B.F.; Kasper, D.L.; Shapiro, M.; Tager, I.B.; Schoenbaum, S.C.; Goldstein, P.R.
Obstetrics and Gynecology 55(2): 163-166
1980
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-7844 PMID: 7352073 Document Number: 167344
To determine the role of Bacteroides fragilis in the development of infectious complications following hysterectomy, serum antibody to the capsular polysaccharide was measured with a radioactive antigen-binding assay in 53 women before and several days after surgery. Patients with postoperative abscess formation had a significantly greater mean increase in antibody concentration (4.91 micrograms/ml) than those without complications (0.62 micrograms/ml), those with wound infection (1.90 micrograms/ml), those with pelvic cellulitis (0.63 micrograms/ml), and those with febrile morbidity (0.95 micrograms/ml). There were no significant differences among the latter 4 groups. The authors conclude that B fragilis may play an important role in abscess formation following hysterectomy, but is infrequently involved in other infectious complications of this procedure.