Leukocyte emigration in the lung occurs by both CD18-dependent and -independent mechanisms that are stimulus specific. We examined the effect of CD18 blockade (mAb 60.3) on neutrophil (PMN) emigration into, and bacterial clearance from, the lung. After intravenous treatment with either mAb 60.3 or saline, rabbits were given an intralobar inoculation with 10(9) colony-forming units of either Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichia coli. Four hours after inoculation, lungs were lavaged to assess PMN emigration. CD18 blockade reduced PMN emigration to E. coli by 76% but only 45% to S. aureus. Experiments to determine bacterial recovery from the lungs at 4, 8, and 24 h after inoculation showed that CD18 blockade impaired the early (4 h) clearance of E. coli but not S. aureus. These findings suggest that PMN emigration to intrapulmonary S. aureus is largely CD18-independent. In contrast, intrapulmonary E. coli elicits CD18-mediated PMN emigration. CD18 blockade results in impaired clearance of E. coli but not S. aureus from the lung.