ENDOTOXIN TOLERANCE. I. ITS INDUCTION BY EXPERIMENTAL PYELONEPHRITIS*

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Abstract
Tolerance to the pyrogenic effects of Salmonella enteriditis endotoxin was induced by the production of persistent renal infection with Escherichia coli (O-IIIB-4). Rabbits with pyelonephritis were tolerant over a fourfold range of endotoxin dosage. Tolerance was reversed by reticuloendothelial blockade with colloidal thorium dioxide and by the eradication of renal infection with antibiotic treatment. The production of pyelonephritis led to the development of tolerance in rabbits previously demonstrated to respond to normally to pyrogen challenge. Streptococcus fecalis pyelonephritis did not induce endotoxin tolerance.