Nonspecific enhancement of resistance to local bacterial infection in starved mice.

We studied the effect of muramyl dipeptide (MDP) on enhancing resistance to local bacterial challenge in starved mice. The challenge consisted of the intramuscular insertion of a suture laden with Klebsiella pneumoniae. Mice that had been pretreated with MDP had a statistically lower rate of bacterial recovery at the site of the challenge, had consistently fewer bacteria in the blood, and had improved short-term survival. By enhancing local bacterial containment, MDP pretreatment of immunocompromised animals reduces the level of bacteremia and subsequent mortality.