Abstract
Summary
Splenectomy is frequently undertaken in patients as an adjunct to the medical treatment of clinical problems or subsequent to traumatic rupture. Several reports of an increased incidence of pneumococcal sepsis in these patients have been made. In contrast, others insist that no significant increase in susceptibility to infection follows splenectomy. Using an in vitro assay of pneumococcal phagocytosis by leukocytes, rats were found to have a serum deficiency of phagocytosis, 3 months after splenectomy. Specific subcutaneous immunization of these splenectomized rats diminished the defect. No such improvement was seen, however, following intravenous immunization. It is suggested that subcutaneous immunization to pneumococcus or other antigens may offer a safe method of reducing the risk of bacterial sepsis in splenectomized patients.
We thank Sue Buron and Jim Wicks for their excellent technical assistance.
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