Abstract
Adrenocortical function during infection has not been well defined in man, and patient care itself may interfere with meaningful steroid measurements. Animal models provided the opportunity to relate plasma adrenocorticosteroid (corticosterone–CS) levels to the natural course of fatal infections in mice inoculated IP with (1) a malarial parasite—P. berghei, (2) a bacteria—D. pneumoniae, or (3) 2 strains of a murine enterovirus—encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus. In P. berghei infection animals survived through day 6, and CS levels increased 4- to 6-fold on day 5 and 6. Enlargement of the spleen and parasitemia precedes this rise in CS by 24 h. In the more acute infection with D. pneumoniae (deaths occurred within 72 h) increases in CS levels of a similar magnitude were found at both the ‘peak’ and ‘trough’ of the adrenocortical rhythm. CS levels and virus titers were determined in individual animals infected with one LD50 of EMC virus, and correlated with the outcome of infection. Modest elevations of CS occurred only during the terminal phases of infection. Elevation of CS did not occur during the viremic phase, and were observed only after clearance of virus from the blood. A more virulent strain of EMc virus which was lethal in 48–72 h resulted in marked elevation of CS by 24–48 h.
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Friedman, S., Glasgow, L. & Grota, L. Plasma Adrenocorticosteroid Levels During Experimental Injections. Pediatr Res 4, 462 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197009000-00110
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197009000-00110