Pulmonary Antibacterial Defenses with Pure Oxygen Breathing 1

Summary

After exposure to bacterial aerosols, mice were placed in air and in pure oxygen at 1 atm total pressure. Animals breathing pure oxygen showed an inhibition of early intrapulmonary clearance of Staphylococcus aureus and enhanced early clearance of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Furthermore, oxygen breathing for 24 hr after infection produced a delay of subsequent mortality due to K. pneumoniae.

In vitro bacterial growth studies showed inhibition of growth of S. aureus by high oxygen and no effect on the growth of K. pneumoniae.

Exposure to pure oxygen for 24 hr does not appear to have any major effect on the ability of the lung to inactivate inhaled bacteria.