A STUDY OF THE INFLUENCE OF BACTERIUM TULARENSE ON THE AMINO ACID METABOLISM OF ANIMAL HOSTS
Abstract
Further studies confirmed the preliminary observation of the decrease in NPN and urea nitrogen levels in the blood of rats infected with Bacterium tularense. The total serum protein was also depleted in the infected animals, and almost all tularemic rats exhibited a moderate hypoglycemia. The icteric index was abnormally high in the infected rats as a result of liver dysfunction. No significant hematological changes occurred during infection, but rats that recovered from tularemia exhibited a leucocyte count which was nearly twice that found in both normal rats and in infected animals. Rats that survived the infection acquired a high degree of immunity; reinfection with B. tularense and subsequent blood analysis resulted in a normal clinical picture. Administration of amino acids by intraperitoneal inoculation during infection had no effect on either the time or the total of deaths due to tularemia. Deficient, normal, and enriched protein diets had no effect on either the time or the total of deaths of tularemic rats.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 31, 1953
- Accession Number
- AD0023933
Entities
Organizations
- University of Tennessee system