Complement response after experimental bacterial infection in various nutritional states.

In malnourished rats, nutritionally rehabilitated rats at various stages, and in well nourished rats, levels of serum complement after bacterial infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus, as well as tuberculin reactivity, were examined. The elevation of complement showed a peak 2--3 days after infection, herein called the first complement response. A reelevation occurred at a later stage, 7--14 days after infection, and is referred to as the second complement response. The first complement response was observed in all the rats after Staphylococcus aureus infection but it was greater in well nourished rats. In malnourished rats, only the first complement response was observed and the tuberculin reaction and second complement response were lacking. After 1 week of nutritional rehabilitation, 40% of the rats showed recovery of tuberculin responses and both the first and second complement responses were observed. Nutritionally rehabilitated rats treated longer than 2 weeks, together with the well nourished control rats, showed positive tuberculin reactivity. The second complement response was also observed in such rats when bacterial infection was severe but not with mild infection.