Normal Flora and Acute Inflammation

THE indigenous microbial flora has recently been recognized as being involved in the maintenance of the resistance of the host to infection. Oral administration of non-absorbable antibiotics produces a marked reduction in the enteric flora of the animal host, which is associated with an, increased s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature (London) 1966-06, Vol.210 (5040), p.1072-1073
Main Authors: ABRAMS, GERALD D, MULL, JOHN D, BISHOP, JANE E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Blood Proteins - analysis
Exudates and Transudates
Germ-Free Life
Humanities and Social Sciences
Inflammation - pathology
Intestines
letter
Leukocytes
Mice
multidisciplinary
Peritoneal Diseases - pathology
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
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Summary:THE indigenous microbial flora has recently been recognized as being involved in the maintenance of the resistance of the host to infection. Oral administration of non-absorbable antibiotics produces a marked reduction in the enteric flora of the animal host, which is associated with an, increased susceptibility of the host to parenteral infections 1 . Animals raised in the presence of a restricted gastrointestinal microflora likewise respond abnormally to experimental infections 2 . Animals reared in the germ-free state are also hypersusceptible to a variety of infectious agents administered by a number of different routes 3–6 . These findings leave no doubt that the normal flora somehow enhances the ability of the host to deal with infection, not only within the habitat of the flora, but systemically as well. The mechanism of this enhancement is obscure.
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/2101072a0