The Effect of Bilateral Suprarenalectomy in Adult Albino Rats on the Natural and Acquired Resistance to Bartonella Muris Anemia

Abstract

By work in this laboratory and that of other investigators, it has been shown that the suprarenal glands are essential in the mechanism of natural resistance (1-12). In the case of suprarenalectomized rats, this resistance can be raised almost to normal by injection of the hormone of the suprarenal cortex (13)(14)(15). In the present communication further data are presented on the effect of bilateral suprarenalectomy in the rat on natural and acquired resistance to BartoneUa muris anemia. The Effect of Bilateral Suprarenalectomy on the Acquired Resistance to Bartonella muris AnemiaThe rat is spontaneously infected with Bartonella muris between the 4th and 5th week of life (16). It becomes a carrier and acquires immunity to the infection (17). The spontaneous recurrence of infection following splenectomy with the development of anemia in the adult rat of carrier stock is indicative of a depression in the acquired resistance to Bartonella muris. 1The rats used in this experiment were bred and raised in our laboratory and were carriers of Bartonella muris. Ten albino rats of approximately 3 months of age were suprarenalectomized. On the 6th day after suprarenalectomy each of these was injected intraperitoneally with 2 co. of whole blood of anemic adult splenectomized rats, drawn at the height of infection. The red cell count and the percentage of hemoglobin were determined and blood smears examined daily.

Acute Inflammation and Tissue Mast Cells in Adrenalectomized Rats With Cutaneous Mucormycosis

“…Our results indicate that in rats the absence of the adrenal does not enhance cutaneous Rhiwpus oryzae infection although it affects the regulation and alters the course of inflammation. Similar observations have been reported by others who have noted that the lesions of experimental trypanosomiasis (16) and bartonellosis (17) in adrenalectomized rats did not differ from those of normal animals although the mortality of the animals without adrenals was greatly increased. The lack of fungus proliferation in the lesions of adrenalectornized rats in the present study probably reflects to some extent the low natural pathogenicity of the fungus which is advantageous since it avoids the toxic systemic effects associated with many other infections.…”

The Etiology of Bartonella Muris Anemia of the Albino Rat

“…The Wistar stock are non-carriers of Bartonella muris infection. The adult Wistar rat is markedly resistant to infection, though it may be infected by the injection of large amounts of blood of anemic splenectomized rats (8). The splenectomized adult Wistar rat is very susceptible to infection with Bartonella muris anemia (9).…”