Intestinal motility during acute Yersinia enterocolitica enteritis in rabbits

Abstract

To determine if Yersinia enterocolitica (YE) enteritis is associated with an alteration of intestinal myoelectric and motor activity, and with an increased rate of aboral transit, New Zealand white rabbits (500–900 g) were surgically prepared with ileal bipolar electrodes and a manometry catheter adjacent to the distal electrode. One week later animals were inoculated with 1010 organisms of YE in 10 mL NaHCO3 (infected group) or 10 mL NaHCO3 (sham-infected pair-fed and control groups). Daily food intake, weight gain, YE excretion, and stool pattern were noted. Intestinal myoelectric and motor activity over a 6- to 8- h period before and 3, 6, and 14 days after inoculation was compared in infected (I), pair-fed (PF), and control (C) groups. Intestinal transit was evaluated in I and C animals on days 3 and 6 after inoculation by measuring the distribution in the intestinal lumen of 51Cr 20 min after it was instilled directly into the jejunum. Infected animals exhibited diarrhea, fecal excretion of YE, and significantly decreased food intake, weight gain, and survival (11.4 ± 0.6 days). Infection was associated with a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in both the cycle period of the migrating myoelectric complex (MMC) and the total number of single, paired, and (or) clustered contractions per MMC, and a significant (p < 0.001) increase in duration of phase III of the MMC. There was no change in intestinal slow wave frequency (19 cycles/min), motility index per MMC, or the percentage of contractions that propagated in an orad (7%) or aboral (69%) direction or that appeared stationary (25%). The changes in myoelectric and motor activity were specific for YE infection (not related to decreased food intake and weight gain) and were associated with a significantly increased rate of aboral transit. Thus, the inflammatory enteritis induced by YE is associated with alterations of intestinal myoelectric and motor activity, and an increased rate of aboral transit.Key words: Yersinia enterocolitica, infection, intestine, motility, transit.