Pyelonephritis. XIV. Effect of immunization on experimental Escherichia coli pyelonephritis.

Mice immunized subcutaneously with heat-killed Escherichia coli were protected from pyelonephritis produced by the intravenous route, but there was little or no protection from ascending infection. No significant protection from ascending or hematogenous pyelonephritis was demonstrated when immunization was accomplished by injecting heat-killed E. coli into the bladder. Heat-killed E. coli injected either subcutaneously or into the bladder protected mice from early endotoxic death after intravenous or bladder challenge.