LACK OF PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF AUTOTRANSPLANTED SPLENIC TISSUE TO PNEUMOCOCCAL CHALLENGE

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  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 51  (3) , 475-478
Abstract
Studies in animals and clinical experience in patients have demonstrated that splenectomy may lead to an increased susceptibility to infection. The infections are usually caused by encapsulated bacteria such as pneumococcus. It has been shown in a variety of experimental animals that autotransplanted splenic tissue is capable of regenerating into implants that are microscopically indistinguishable from normal spleen and of restoring a number of normal splenic functions. The response to i.v. challenge with Streptococcus pneumoniae, type 25, was studied in control, asplenic and autotransplanted Sprague-Dawley rats. Despite previous observations that a number of immune functions can be restored in this animal model by autotransplanted splenic tissue, splenic tissue autotransplants apparently do not restore the ability to resist i.v. pneumococcal challenge.