Effect of iron on acute pyelonephritis and later chronic changes.

Administration of iron to rats exacerbated early inflammatory changes of pyelonephritis produced by intravenous inoculation of Escherichia coli. This effect was noted with four of eight strains of E. coli tested and was dependent on bacterial inoculum. Despite this increase in severity of acute pyelonephritis as judged by numbers of bacteria in the kidney and careful gross and microscopic evaluation, there was no enhancement of chronic changes seen 6 months later.