Obstructive jaundice promotes bacterial translocation from the gut

Experiments were performed to determine if obstructive jaundice promotes the translocation of bacteria from the gastrointestinal tract to visceral organs. Three groups of mice were studied: control (n=20), sham ligated (n=28), and bile duct ligated (n=33). The sham-ligated group underwent laparotomy and manipulation of the portal region, whereas the ligated group had their common bile ducts ligated. Seven days later, the mice were killed, their organs cultured, and the gastrointestinal tract examined histologically. The bilirubin levels of the ligated group (18.7 mg/dL) were elevated compared with the other groups (0.5 mg/dL) (p