EFFECT OF MALNUTRITION ON ILEAL RESPONSE TO YERSINIA ENTEROCOLITICA (Y. E.) ENTERITIS

Abstract

The course of Y.E. enteritis was examined in the ileum of control (C) and undernourished (M) 27-28 d old rabbits. Malnutrition was induced by litter expansion 7 d post partum (M, 13-16 pups/litter; C, 6-8). Animals were infected at 17 or 22 d with 109 organisms of Y.E. Weight of M animals at the time of infection was significantly (p<0.01) less than C. Undernutrition alone (M) significantly (Table, p<0.05) reduced mucosal weight, protein, DNA, lactase and villus height but increased (p<0.02) short-circuited glucose-stimulated Na+ transport (Δglu JNa) compared to C. Infected animals from both dietary groups evaluated at 6 d demonstrated comparable findings. Infected animals with a normal dietary intake at 10 d (110) showed complete recovery of mucosal weight, protein, DNA, and lactase, morphology and Δglu JNa compared to C (Table). In contrast, M animals 10 d post infection (MI10) demonstrated persistant mucosal inflammation, increased mucosal weight, protein and DNA and depressed Δglu JNa compared to noninfected M (Table, p<0.01). We conclude that ileal recovery after a bacteria enteritis in a malnourished host is prolonged as evidenced by persistant inflammation and depressed glucose stimulated Na+ transport.