Prostaglandins in cerebrospinal fluid of patients during various infectious diseases.

Concentrations of prostaglandins of the E and F series were estimated by radioimmunoassay in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 30 febrile patients (infants and adults) and of 19 afebrile, adult patients. In CSF of all feverish patients with meningitis, pneumonia, or pyelonephritis, concentrations of prostaglandins of the E series were about twice higher than those of the afebrile subjects. In contrast, concentrations of prostaglandins of the F series remained largely unchanged during fever. In accord with the results of animal experiments prostaglandins of the E series seem to act as mediators of fever during infectious diseases also in man.